Pandemonium and panic broke out at the popular Ophoke-Abba market, Kpiri-Kpiri in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital on Monday evening following the discovery of a substance suspected to be an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in the market.

The discovery of the substance at the saw traders, buyers and passers-by in the market running for their dear lives.

The incident which occurred around 4pm on Monday forced the market to close early as traders immediately closed their before the usual 6pm closing time.

A trader at the market, Paul Onwe, who spoke to journalists said the incident could be likened to a war situation.

“People suddenly started running and shouting bomb! bomb!! that a bomb has been planted by unknown people in the market.

“In seconds the news has gone round the entire market and people were running helter skelter, while children were crying.

“I managed to park my wares, lock my shop and ran out of the market; I have never witnessed a scene like that before in my life,” Onwe said.

Another, eye witness, Mrs. Edith Agu, said that the news of an alleged discovery of a substance suspected to be bomb planted at a section of the market caused commotion while people raced out of the market for safety.

Agu said that she immediately packed her goods and rushed out of the market area, adding that the incident disrupted business activities in the market.

Agu said that the bomb scare was so alarming that many abandoned their commodities and fled the market.

“The entire market was thrown into pandemonium and confusion while both the young and old ran spontaneously out of the market.

“It was like a war scene. I have never experienced such an incident in my entire life but I was happy there was no stampede during the entire episode,” Agu said.

Police Spokesman in the state, Loveth Odah, confirmed the incident

She said that the Police anti-bomb squad unit was called in to evacuate a substance yet to be identified found at a section of the market.

“The Divisional Police Officer in charge of the area received information that a substance was discovered at a shop in the market and he went to the area with officials of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) of the Nigeria Police.

“The substance suspected to be an explosive has been evacuated and taken to the office for expert analysis; for now we don’t know what the substance is until after careful investigation.”

John Nwanbeke, Chairman of the Ophoke-Abba Market Traders Association (OMTA) was not available for comments on the incident. (The Nation)