No fewer than three people have died in a bomb explosion in Okene, Okenne Local Government Area of Kogi State.

It was gathered that the incident occurred in the early hours of Thursday, a few hours to the arrival of President Muhammadu Buhari who is expected to commission some projects in the state.

It was learned that the explosion occurred near the second gate of the palace of the Ohinoyi of Ibira on Kuroko road, Okene.

An eyewitness disclosed that a vehicle and two motorcycles were also burnt in the explosion.

READ ALSO: EFCC auctions 160 houses, malls, hotels, plots of land

“I was in the house when I had a loud explosion, by the time I came out, I saw a vehicle on fire burning along with two motorcycles close to the second gate of the Ohinoyi’s palace.

“The explosion was so massive as three bodies were laying on the ground around the palace,” the eyewitness, who declined to be named, said.

Confirming the incident, the Kogi State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Williams Ovye-Aya, described the bomb explosion as “very unfortunate” and “shocking”.

Ovye-Aya said the police were on top of the situation, adding that security operatives had already sealed off the area.

The police spokesperson said an investigation into the explosion has begun.

The Star