A routine domestic task turned into a scene of terror in Nasarawa State on Christmas Eve when a forgotten military hand grenade detonated, severely injuring a female soldier and two children.
The explosion occurred at approximately 11:46 am on Wednesday, December 24, at a residential compound along Abacha Road in Mararaba. According to an official incident report, the tragedy unfolded when a woman discovered the device while cleaning her apartment. Unaware of the danger, she brought the grenade out and asked a female soldier neighbor, identified only as Mohammed, to examine it to see if it was "useful or should be discarded."
A Lethal Legacy from the Conflict Zone
Preliminary military investigations traced the source of the grenade to a chilling origin. The report indicates the explosive was left behind three years earlier by an unidentified soldier who had been deployed to the conflict-ridden North East region. The soldier had reportedly stored the device in his sister's room—the same woman who later discovered it during cleaning.
Upon being handled, the grenade exploded instantly. Soldier Mohammed sustained severe injuries to her left wrist and other parts of her body. The two young children of the woman who had presented the grenade were also caught in the blast and suffered serious injuries.
**Stabilized Condition Amid Ongoing Investigation**
The injured soldier was first rushed to a private hospital in Keffi before being transferred to the Defence Headquarters Medical Centre in Abuja's Mogadishu Cantonment. She was subsequently referred to Cedarcrest Hospital in Apo, where she remains under care. The report notes her condition has since stabilized and she is responding to treatment.
Authorities have confirmed that a full investigation is ongoing to establish the precise circumstances that led to the soldier possessing the grenade off-base and its subsequent detonation. When contacted for comment, the Director of Defence Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, stated he had not yet been briefed on the incident.
The event highlights the deadly risks posed by unexploded ordnance and illegal military souvenirs, demonstrating how the remnants of a distant conflict can surface with devastating consequences in civilian life years later.
0 Comments