Ex-Senate leader, lawmaker sympathise with victims of Ibadan explosion
Former senate leader and governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the 2023 elections, Senator Teslim Folarin, and the House of Representatives Member, representing Ibadan South-East/North-East Federal Constituency, Abass Adigun, have extended their sympathies to the victims of the Ibadan explosion.
The duo expressed sadness over the deadly explosion that occurred in Ibadan, Oyo State capital on Tuesday night.
Folarin in a statement released on Wednesday by his media aide commiserated with those who lost their loved ones and also sympathised with those who sustained injuries.
Folarin said in the statement, “My attention has been drawn to a deadly explosion that rocked some areas of Ibadan on Tuesday night. I reliably gathered that lives were lost, several were injured and property worth billions of Naira were lost as a result of the explosion”
“My thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families and other victims of the deadly explosion. I also sympathise with the people and Oyo State Government over the tragic incident.
“I urge for calm among the residents of the affected areas while we await the outcome of the constituted authorities’ full investigations into the remote and immediate cause of the explosion”
“I pray to Almighty God to comfort all those who were affected, directly and indirectly.”
In his message, Reps Member, Abass Adigun, popularly known as Agboworin, commended the state government for its prompt intervention when the unfortunate incident happened.
Agboworin who is also the Chairman of the Committee on Drugs and Narcotics, in his statement on Wednesday, expressed shock at the magnitude of destruction occasioned by the explosion, which he noted was a result of negligence from illegal miners who had stored explosive devices in their residence.
He also commended the commitment of the governor to not only promising that the government would cover the medical bills of all victims but also to provide temporary accommodation for those whose houses were affected.
He expressed hope that such an incident would never occur in the city and the state at large again.
Agboworin said: “It is with shock and sadness that I received the news of the explosion incident, which claimed the lives of some residents and got many injured on Oyeleye Street in the Adeyi Avenue area of Ibadan.
I am particularly impressed by the action of His Excellency, Governor Seyi Makinde, who ensured there was immediate intervention by deploying all relevant and security agencies within the state to carry out comprehensive search and rescue operations as touching the incident.
“While I sympathise with the State government over this incident, which has claimed many lives, I want to equally commiserate with the residents. More so, I empathise with business owners whose structures were also affected and commiserate with families who have lost their loved ones and properties to the devastating occurrence.”
The Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, on Wednesday, said preliminary investigations by security agencies revealed that the explosion that rocked Dejo Oyelese Street, Bodija, Ibadan, the state capital on Tuesday was caused by explosive devices stored by illegal miners.
No fewer than 10 persons were feared killed and 15 others hospitalised following the explosion that also affected a section of the Governor’s Office, Secretariat, Oyo State House of Assembly, the residence of the former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Chief Bola Ige, some buildings at Ologuneru, Apete, New Garage, Bashorun, Akobo, Sango and Eleyele.
Makinde, who visited the scene of the explosion Tuesday night, said though further investigations were still ongoing, anyone found culpable would be brought to book.
“Preliminary investigations by the security agencies revealed that illegal miners occupying one of the houses in Bodija had stored explosive devices there which caused the blast. The investigations are ongoing. All those found culpable for this will be brought to book,” he tweeted on Wednesday.
