Ibadan explosion: Three confirmed dead, as Govt indicts foreign miners

…State sets up emergency centre, provides accommodation to victims

Three persons have been confirmed dead in an explosion that rocked Ibadan on Tuesday. This is as the explosion affected major parts of Ibadan in Dejo Oyelese Street, Adeyi Avenue, Old Bodija and Awolowo leaving many businesses, homes displaced.

Governor of Oyo State, Engr.Seyi Makinde also revealed that the death toll in the unfortunate blast had risen to three, stating that one more victim died in a hospital on Wednesday.

“We recovered one individual alive today (Wednesday) under the rubble. 60 of the 77 people hospitalised have been discharged,” the governor said.

“We are trying to uncover the identities of the people. We’ve done a few fact-finding on the company involved and yes, there are indeed some foreign names on the CAC documents of the company involved but these are still early days. We don’t have anything to cover,” he said.

The Governor clarified that the incident had nothing to do with terrorist attack, insisting that those operating illegal mining were responsible for the unfortunate incident.

“It is not anything that has to do with banditry and insurgency but illegal miners that stored explosives in a residential area,” the governor clarified.

Similarly, the Governor on Wednesday, during a press conference on the incident, held at the Briefing Room of the Governor’s Office, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan, vowed that: “Those who brought this tragedy on Oyo State will be brought to book.”

Governor Makinde called for calm, assuring that the state government has been on top of the situation and that it is leaving no stone unturned regarding the search and rescue of victims at the rubble of the incident as well as the welfare of victims and the security of their properties.

He maintained that it is a trying time for the state and that its people must draw on their strength and resilience and be their brother’s keepers.

According to the Governor, some measures already taken by the state government to address the situation include the setting up of an Emergency Operation Centre to oversee search and rescue.

He vowed that search and rescue efforts will continue until all lives in the vicinity of the blast are accounted for, adding that the state government has also made provisions with hotels to accommodate victims and those living close to the site of the incident once they are able to identify themselves.

Governor Makinde had, during the press conference, also revealed that President Bola Tinubu spoke to him to commiserate with families who lost loved ones to the incident as well as promise the support of the Federal Government on the situation.

He appreciated the President for also deploying the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), which he noted was on the ground at the scene of the explosion.

The governor recounted that so far, there are three deaths from the incident and that the number of the injured was about 77.

He warned residents of the state to be wary of spreading fake figures and misinformation regarding the fatalities and the number of casualties.

The press conference came shortly after the governor had visited some victims of the incidents at different hotels around Bodija, Idi Ape and Ikolaba axes, where the state government is providing accommodation and feeding for them.

He said, “Since yesterday, our security agencies, first responders, emergency services and all other relevant agencies have been working diligently as they carry out search and rescue operations.

“Just this morning, another individual was recovered from the rubble. I want to assure you that the search and rescue operation will continue until all lives within the vicinity of the blast are accounted for.

“We are aware that aside from the immediate perimeter of the incident, people as far as 25km away may have been affected physically or psychologically. We have, therefore, put the Emergency Operation Centre, which is being headed by Professor Temitope Alonge, to coordinate all search and rescue efforts.

“I would like to appeal to our people to remain calm as we do everything to provide succour to everyone concerned. Some numbers have been provided to reach out to the Emergency Operation Centre.

“I know the 615 is operational but there are additional ones: 07049948057 and 08147672009. If you have any information regarding any persons who may still be trapped within that perimeter. Please call that number and we will respond to you.”

The Governor appealed to those staying in any of the houses within 250 metres of ground zero to move out to government-provided accommodation until a structural integrity test was conducted on the buildings.

Makinde also issued a stern warning to individuals who might be planning to take advantage of the incident to perpetrate crimes, noting that security agents would deal decisively with such individuals.

He promised that the state would continue to provide regular updates regarding the actions it is taking through the EMO and its various back channels on and off social media.

While addressing journalists, the Head of the Emergency Operations, Prof. Alonge said an emergency response to the incident was to set up a team of about 40 doctors, 40 nurses and 25 medical students at the University College Hospital, Ibadan.

He added that victims that were injured were receiving medical attention in private and government hospitals and that most of them were in stable condition.

“Apart from doctors and nurses, we have added to our team physiotherapists, clinical psychologists and they were on ground yesterday to assess the psychological state of the survivors of this unfortunate incident.”

Also speaking on the security angle, the Special Adviser on Security to the Governor, Owoseni, said the area of the incident had been secured to ensure that hoodlums do not perpetrate crimes as a result of the explosion.

He, however, corrected misgivings and misinformation on the incident, saying, “We want to use this opportunity to correct misgivings. People have come out to say that Boko Haram elements have been allowed to invade Oyo State, especially Ibadan. This is incorrect.

“Some people have also said a helicopter flew over the place and dropped the bomb. That is, in its entirety, incorrect too. People have said construction sites around that place had used dynamite, and in the course of that, the incident happened. Let me say it is also not correct.

“We, from the security angle, can say that the preliminary evidence is indicative that for some time, people must have been storing explosives in that area, and it is not just fresh. It must have been something that had accumulated for some time. His Excellency has always said if you see something, you must say something.”