Oyo State Governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, has received the official report of the January 16, 2024, explosion at Adeyi Avenue, Bodija, Ibadan.
The report, which comprises the findings of the Medical, Security, and Engineering Teams, was submitted to the governor on Tuesday at the Executive Chamber of the Governor’s Office, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan.
Addressing a press conference at the Briefing Room of the Governor’s Office shortly after the presentation of the report, the Special Adviser on Security to the Governor, COMPOL Fatai Owoseni (rtd), said that three persons of interest had been identified in connection with the cause of the unfortunate explosion.
He added that the identified persons will face prosecution based on the investigation.
Owoseni also clarified that the street where the incident happened is Aderinola Street and not Dejo Oyelese Street, as earlier widely reported, adding that the epicentre of the tragedy is No. 8A and No. 8B.
Owoseni also revealed that the character of the explosive is known as “Water Gel Type Based Explosive” and that the explosion was triggered by an electric spark, explaining further that a closed-circuit television in one of the affected houses gave footage of how the explosion happened.
He assured that the state government would hold the perpetrators accountable, adding that the government would verify the immigration status of all individuals of interest, given that a majority of them originate from Mali.
He said, “We have been able to report that the swiftness with which security was deployed to the epicentre has so far successfully made the state fully secure the environment. And with the security that was provided, the state has also been able to prevent untoward happenings, especially opportunistic crimes that hoodlums always take advantage of such situations to carry out.
We would recall that the governor put an emergency centre in place and was located at the premises of Oyo State Housing Corporation, Ibadan.
“The EOC has so far collated information and data on things that happened there, and some of the data collated includes a census of the respective houses and the fatalities that were affected, including the extent of losses suffered.
“As of 6 p.m. on Friday, February 3rd, which was the 18th day of the incident, a total of 335 affected persons registered at the emergency centre, including 16 companies or business operators, churches, mosques, three schools, and the UCH, also approached the centre to report on their losses.
“The losses reported also include fatalities, injuries of various degrees, damages ranging from total collapse and submerging of houses, houses that suffered collateral damage, and those that suffered minimal damages.”
Owoseni also addressed the Executive Order signed by the governor on the safe handling and storage of harmful substances in the state, stating that residents of the state should interface and share helpful information with his office through No 2, Oba Akenzua Crescent, Onireke, Ibadan, or through an email address, declarenow@oyostate.gov.ng.
“There is an Executive Order that was signed by the governor last week, which has placed obligations on people that deal with explosives or do businesses where they use explosives. Obligations have been created under that Executive Order, which defines what harmful particles or substances are.
“The first phase of the Executive Order, which is to declare within 72 hours whether you own explosives or harmful substances, has passed. I can tell you that, as of the time the 72 hours lapsed, no one came forward. And the second phase is where we are now, which states that anyone who comes in possession of harmful substances should declare to the office of Special Adviser of Security to the governor within 24 hours,” Owoseni added.
Also addressing newsmen, the Nigeria Institute of Structural Engineers chairman, Engr. Mbim Okutinyang, the lead coordinator of the team that carried out structural integrity on the affected houses, said his team covered 282 houses and that only four of the houses would have to be demolished due to the damage.
He, however, added that the seismic report was still being awaited.
Also contributing, Prof. Temitope Alonge, Head of the Emergency Operation Centre, said 80 victims were managed across various hospitals following the explosion. Still, only five patients were admitted as of the press conference.
He explained that four of the patients are being treated at the University College Hospital (UCH) and are at various levels of recovery, while one patient is at the Redeemers Hospital being managed for a spinal cord injury.
He said that most of the cases at UCH will likely be discharged within the next week.
He added that some of the affected victims who experienced medical disorders such as respiratory illness had been treated, while those with symptoms suggestive of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder are being attended to by clinical psychologists from UCH, led by Mrs Funmi Olowa.
Giving an update on the tests for radioactivity, Alonge said the site of the incident has been cleared in terms of radioactivity, as the EOC invited the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Agency (NNRA) to conduct another screening on Sunday, February 4, and “the good news is that there were no radiations outside of normal.”
