At least thirty people were killed Sunday in an explosion, which destroyed a block of shops, banks and apartments in Nigeria's largest city and economic capital Lagos, triggering hours of chaos and looting.
"When a disaster like this explosion occurs in a commercial building, it's normal anywhere in the world for hoodlums to try and take advantage of it," Lagos State Information Commissioner Dele Alake said.
"The security forces contained them," he added, vowing that the rescue efforts and investigation would continue for as long as necessary, AFP reported.
An early attempt by police to cordon off the area had been abandoned when local residents, desperate to protect their property, had begun throwing stones at officers.
Meanwhile, the cause of the explosion has not yet been established, however police were considering the possibility that someone was using explosives in an attempted bank robbery, according to AP.
Nigeria's President Olusegun Obasanjo paid a short visit to the site of the explosion, as residents began demanding to know the cause of the tragedy. (Albawaba.com)
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
