The FCT Police Command has launched a manhunt for the driver of an unregistered Toyota 4Runner Jeep whose alleged reckless driving triggered an explosion at a cooking gas plant in Byazhin, Abuja.
The incident occurred at about 6:30 a.m. on Sunday, September 27, 2026, near Liberty Junction, Byazhin, after the driver reportedly drove against traffic and lost control of the vehicle.
According to the Police Public Relations Officer, FCT Command, SP Josephine Adeh, the vehicle crashed into the gas plant, triggering an explosion that engulfed nearby shops and other properties.
She said a distress call from a resident prompted the immediate deployment of operatives from the Kubwa Police Division to the scene.
Adeh said the policemen, on arrival, contacted the Federal Fire Service, whose personnel joined the operation and eventually contained the inferno.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that the fire outbreak was caused by the driver of an unregistered Toyota 4Runner Jeep, who was driving against traffic.
“The driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle and crashed into the nearby cooking gas plant,” she said.
The PPRO added that the driver and occupants of the vehicle fled immediately after the crash, while the Command had established the driver’s identity and commenced efforts to apprehend him.
She said no casualty had been recorded as of the time of the statement, although the full extent and value of property destroyed in the fire were yet to be determined.
Adeh assured residents that normalcy had been restored in the area, urging affected residents and business owners to return to their lawful activities.
She also advised members of the public to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious persons or activities to the nearest police station or through the Command’s emergency numbers: 08032003913 and 08028940883.
