In the aftermath of the tragic explosion in the Bodija area of Oyo State, Governor Seyi Makinde disclosed on Wednesday that the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) certificate of the implicated mining company displayed foreign names as owners.
The death toll has risen to three, with one more victim succumbing to injuries at a hospital on Wednesday.
During an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today program, Governor Makinde provided updates on the incident. He mentioned the recovery of one individual alive from the rubble on Wednesday and noted that 60 out of the 77 hospitalized individuals have been discharged.
“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,” the governor explained.
Governor Makinde emphasized that the incident is not related to banditry or insurgency but involves illegal miners who stored explosives in a residential area. He identified an individual of interest, suggesting that security agents should question them.
The governor assured transparency, stating, “We have no reason for cover-up, and the people of the state should trust my administration.” He also revealed plans to seek presidential approval for miners to store explosives with the military and mentioned the upcoming signing of an executive order to that effect.
Temporary shelter has been provided to those whose houses were destroyed, with affected individuals accommodated in hotels in Bodija and the Agodi areas of the state capital.
The explosion, which occurred on Tuesday evening, caused panic in Ibadan. Buildings collapsed, and a terrific vibration impacted houses and cars even at a distance from the explosion site.
Preliminary investigations indicate that illegal miners in one of the houses caused the blast. The governor assured that ongoing investigations would hold those responsible accountable.
