Nigerian police foil attempt to blow up key Lagos bridge

Nigerian police said they have thwarted a plot to bomb a key bridge in the commercial hub of Lagos, arresting the alleged mastermind and seizing a cache of arms and ammunition, ABC news reported.

Police arrested Abiodun Amos, the suspected leader of a "militant gang", on November 2 after "painstaking surveillance and monitoring," national police spokesman Don Awunah said in a statement.

Authorities suspect the target was the 13-kilometre 3rd Mainland Bridge, which links the swanky business district of Lagos Island with the rest of the sprawling city of some 20 million inhabitants.

The attack would have caused "devastating" damage to Lagos and Nigeria, Awunah said.

The main suspect is an "explosive expert" with skills in assembling large-scale bombs, the police said, adding that they had seized two AK 47 rifles at his hideout in the Ikorodu area of the city.

Source: MENA