Afenifere Seeks FG Assistance For Ibadan Explosion Victims

The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has called on President Bola Tinubu-led federal government to come to the aid of victims of the Ibadan explosion.

Making this call while commiserating with Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, the group in a statement released by its National Organising Secretary, Kole Omololu, on Wednesday, urged the federal government to assist the victims, stating that the Seyi Makinde-led state administration was not well-equipped to handle the situation given the severity of the explosion.

“News of the explosion that rocked the ancient city of Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State, on Tuesday, came to us with shock and sadness. Lives and limbs were lost, properties were destroyed and the day-to-day activities of the people were disrupted,” the statement read.

The group noted that “the number of injured persons, initially put at 77, has continued to climb while two lives were declared lost so far.”

Afenifere extended sympathy to the relatives of the injured, the state’s citizens, the governor, and “those who have lost property, loved ones, and their means of livelihood.”

The pan-Yoruba organization further demanded a comprehensive statewide probe into the activities of illegal miners, who the governor said were responsible for the explosion.

Naija News recalls that residents of the city were alarmed by the explosion that occurred at Dejo Oyelese Street in the Bodija neighbourhood.

According to the National Emergency Management Agency, the explosion damaged more than 20 houses, and it was likely triggered by an improvised explosive device.