Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State says the company that stored up the explosives, which caused Tuesday’s explosion in Dejo Oyelese Street, Adeyi Avenue, Old Bodija, Ibadan, has been identified and will be brought to justice.
The governor said this on Wednesday, during a press conference on the incident, held in the Briefing Room of the Governor’s Office, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan.
Makinde, while reiterating his call for calm, also gave assurance that the State Government would leave no stone unturned in the effort to rescue victims, the provision of welfare for victims and the security of their properties.
“Preliminary investigations have traced this blast to the storage of explosives by illegal miners at (in) a house in Dejo Oyelese street, Bodija.
“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.
“The further update we can provide at this time is that we have information regarding the company that was using that residence to store explosives.
“Rest assured, all those involved directly and indirectly in bringing this tragedy upon us will be brought to book.”
The governor had, during the press conference, also said that President Bola Tinubu had extended messages of commiseration with the families who lost loved ones in the incident as well as promised the support of the Federal Government to ameliorate the situation.
“Just as we were about to start this press conference, I received a call from Mr President.
“I want to especially thank him; he has approved that the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) be on ground and I can confirm they are already on ground working with us.
“He also gave his condolences to people that (who) have lost their loved ones in this unfortunate incident and is also giving us his assurance that he is with us at this trying period.”
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that, in the wake of the incident, the governor put in place an Emergency Response Team, headed by Prof. Temitope Alonge.
Alonge, while addressing the journalists, said injured victims were already 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,” Alonge said.
For his part, the Special Adviser on Security to the governor, CP Fatai Owoseni (rtd), said the area of the incident had been cordoned to ensure that hoodlums do not perpetrate crimes as a result of the explosion.
“We want to use this opportunity to correct misgivings; people have come out to say that Boko Haram elements were allowed to invade Oyo State, especially Ibadan; this is incorrect.
“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,” Owoseni said.
NAN reports that the governor has visited victims who were guests in different hotels around the scene of the incident and directed that they be provided with accommodation and food.
Makinde then returned to the scene of the explosion to evaluate the progress made so far.