There was confusion around the Apo Bridge axis of the Federal Capital Territory on Thursday night after an explosion occurred near Shafa Filling Station, close to Rita Lori Hotel in the Garki axis of Abuja.
The explosion, which was said to have occurred at about nightfall, sent motorists, traders and residents scampering for safety amid fears that it could be a bomb explosion. 
An eyewitness, Jason Akande, said he heard several loud bangs in quick succession, describing the incident as frightening.
“It suddenly exploded. At first, I thought it was a bomb blast because I counted about seven explosions,” he said.
Following the incident, emergency responders from the Federal Fire Service and the FCT Fire Service arrived at the scene and immediately commenced efforts to contain the fire and prevent it from spreading to nearby structures.
As of the time of filing this report, authorities had yet to determine the cause of the explosion, while there was no official confirmation of any casualty or the extent of damage.
Security operatives and emergency officials remained at the scene, with residents advised to keep away from the affected area to allow rescue and firefighting operations to continue.
