NEMA Retracts Suicide Bombing Claim After Wike’s Rebuke

Published May 29, 2025 at 7:30 AM

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) had earlier stated via its official X account that the explosion near a bus stop opposite Mogadishu Cantonment along the Mararaba-Nyanya expressway was caused by a suicide bomber attempting to infiltrate the military barracks with an improvised explosive device (IED).

However, on Wednesday, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, refuted that claim. He emphasized that security agencies had not classified the incident as a suicide bombing.

“Let’s not create unnecessary panic. NEMA is not in charge of security—there are designated agencies for that,” Wike said.

Following the Minister’s remarks, NEMA issued a statement clarifying that the initial post was the result of a breach on its social media platform, which is now under investigation.

The agency further explained that its primary function during emergencies is to coordinate responses from stakeholders, while determining the cause of such incidents lies with security agencies.

NEMA pointed to its official press release on the incident, which focused solely on its coordination role at the explosion site and did not make any claim about the cause, stressing that such assessments fall within the responsibilities of the Nigeria Police and other security bodies