Workers Flee From Offices Over Bomb Scare In Lagos.

Workers at that Lagos State Government Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja, on Monday, fled in their hundreds, abandoning their offices, due to a rumour that hoodlums were set to attack the secretariat, as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) set to announce the results of last Saturday’s elections.

Another account said the confusion was occasioned by alleged bomb scare, which source could not be ascertained.

Civil servants were seeing hurriedly fleeing the Secretariat at midday, over yet another rumour that the state government had directed them to run home to avoid being caught in the possible crisis that could eschew, once the results of the presidential elections was not declared in favour of a particular candidate.

The directive that workers should leave for the various reasons was said to have being from Office of Chief of Staff, based on the directive from Governor Babatunde Fashola, but it was later learnt that no such directive was ever issued.

Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, Mr Hakeem Bello, in his reaction, said nobody asked the civil servants to go home,

“His Excellency did not give such directive at anytime. Government did not know where such rumour had emanated from,” he said.

The affected workers, according to eyewitness, were seen running helter-skelter between 12 noon and 1.00 p.m., afraid that political thugs would attack them.

The incident was said to have led to gridlock inside the secretariat, as scores of vehicles wanted to drive out at the same time, with apprehension clearly written on the faces of many of the affected workers.

The situation has since been brought under control as men of Rapid Response Square (RSS) took over, stationing the vehicles at the two entrances leading to the Alausa Secretariat and that of the Lagos State House of Assembly.

Meanwhile, a similar situation had, early Monday, happened in Mushin area of Lagos State, as traders entertained fear, following a reported likely clash between hoodlums from the two political parties in the state.

The situation was, however, described as a rumour by some top officials of the state government, who assured the state civil servants to remain calm.

Meanwhile, Governor Babatunde Fashola has urged residents to remain calm and law abiding as they go about their lawful duties in the state, which he assured would always guarantee their safety and security.

The governor, while debunking the rumour making rounds that the government had directed civil servants in the State to close early, following the expected announcement of the results of the presidential and National Assembly elections held on Saturday, said the report was far from the truth, as nobody in his government had issued such directive.

Dismissing as unfounded, the allegation that he directed all civil servants to vacate their offices because of a likely security breach, Fashola said such a directive did not emanate from him, urging the people to remain calm and go about their duties lawfully as there is no threat to security in the State.

Tribune