The Special Assistant to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Community Engagement in the South-West, Moremi Ojudu, has visited Governor Seyi Makinde, to commiserate with him on the death of three persons and several other injured victims of the Ibadan explosion.
Moremi condemned the storage of explosives meant for mining in residential areas, saying the effects have been devastating.
Ojudu, on Thursday while meeting with the Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Barrister Abdul-Raheem Adebayo Lawal; the Secretary to the State Government, Professor Olanike Adeyemo, and other Oyo top government functionaries at the Agodi Secretariat, equally lauded the governor for visiting the explosion site and acting swiftly to investigate the cause.
“I am deeply saddened by the tragic incident that has claimed several lives and caused significant destruction in Oyo State. On behalf of the President and the entire South-West Community Engagement team, I wish to convey our heartfelt condolences to the government and people of Oyo State during this time of immense sorrow and loss.
“We strongly condemn the storage of explosives meant for mining in residential areas. The consequences of such negligence have been devastating, resulting in the loss of precious lives and widespread damage to property. It is a stark reminder of the dangers posed by improper handling and storage of hazardous materials, and it underscores the necessity of strict adherence to safety protocols in any industrial or mining activity…
“As the President’s Special Assistant on Community Engagement (South West), I will be working closely with relevant authorities to offer support and assistance to the affected communities…,” she stated.
• Tales of lucky escape as Ibadan explosion victims recall ordeal
More body parts were yesterday recovered at the scene of Tuesday explosion at Old Bodija, Ibadan.
The Incident Manager, Prof Temitope Alonge made the disclosure in an interview with The Nation.
Alonge said, the parts had been sent to forensic experts for analysis.
He said it could not be confirmed yet if the recovered parts belonged to the fatalities recovered already or a new one, thereby allaying fears of increased fatalities.
He ruled out the possibility of recovering more fatalities, noting that search and rescue efforts had entered day four with the ground zero almost levelled.
Alonge said “It is good news and bad news. The good news is that every patient has been accounted for. About 27 patients were seen at the J-Rapha Hospital and all of them have been discharged, which is good.
“At the Redeemers Hospital as well, I think we have only six people left. There’s only one person left in Tristate Hospital, the other people have been discharged. We will go to the other hospitals where there are victims and we are sure things would have improved. That’s the good news.
“The bad news, however, is that, unfortunately, I have provided information to my principal, the Executive Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde that unfortunately, we recovered another body parts.
“The issue on the ground is that, the moment you find a body part around an area, the chances are that it is probably coming from the same person. But since we can’t confirm or dispute until we have our forensic, we have just sent the entire details to the forensic pathologist and so, hopefully, we will be getting an answer, but not in the immediate. It’s not something they do within 24hours. It is going to take a little while because it will be a matter of DNA testing and trying to cross breed what has been found.
“Apart from that, the corpse of another dog was found. It has also been packaged for forensic for assessment by the veterinary pathologist.”
He ruled out the possibilities of discovering more corpses based on how far the search and rescue efforts had gone.
“I don’t think that at this recovery phase we are going to find more bodies. Of course, definitely not anyone alive because the entire place has been flattened. We are almost close to ground zero. In another 48 hours, we should be at ground zero
“Again, we have not restricted our search to the epicentre alone. Our major concern and fear is the houses that are in bad shape. We have been trying to counsel and appeal to the occupants of those houses as to the reasons why they shouldn’t go into buildings that have not been given a clean bill of health.
“This is because the Nigeria Society of Engineers is pretty still busy working on the integrity test of the buildings and until they certify a house to be fit, I don’t think it is appropriate for them to go in.
“Well, quite a large number of them are complaining but there are a few of them that refused to listen to good counsel and we have noted those houses and if there are consequences on account of what they have done, I believe that the government will be exonerated.
“Again, the integrity test is not only within the epicentre, it is extended beyond there”, Alonge added.
Meanwhile, the Operations Manager of BON Hotel Nest Ibadan, Tunde Solomon, has been reported dead.
He was said to have died of a heart attack caused by the Tuesday incident.
The manager’s death was announced yesterday by the management of the hotel on its official Instagram handle.
The statement reads, “We regret to inform you of the sudden passing of our beloved Operations Manager, Mr. Tunde Solomon.
“Mr. Solomon suffered a heart attack on the 17th of January 2024 and it is believed that it was a consequence of the explosion which occurred on the 16th of January 2024 at Bodija.
“Mr. Tunde Solomon was a vastly experienced member of staff with more than 25 years in the industry. His commitment to his role and his contributions to the growth of BON Hotel Nest Ibadan and the BON group in general during his tenure were invaluable.
“His loss leaves a void that will be deeply felt by all who had the privilege of working alongside him.
“We extend our heartfelt condolences to Mr. Solomon’s family during this difficult time
”Our thoughts and prayers are with them as they navigate through this challenging period.”
• How 20 rescuers tried in vain to remove me from rubble -Survivor
• I thought it was rapture, says another
• Explosion: The untold story of black Tuesday in Ibadan
The heavy explosion that ripped through Bodija Estate, the heart of Ibadan on Tuesday evening left monumental damage in its wake, writes Southwest Bureau Chief BISI OLADELE and SEGUN SHOWUNMI.
Blood, rubble and wreckage are the new marks of a once serene, highbrow section of the Bodija residential estate, Ibadan after the bloody explosion of what was believed to be dynamites, which killed five people and landed 77 others in the hospital.
At press time yesterday, many residents of the community were still in tears while many others were in shock. Senior citizens living around 1,000 metre radius of the estate situated off Adeyi Avenue, were still in shock from the heavy explosion.
For instance, the Operations Manager of Bon Nest Hotel, an edifice situated about 600 metres away from the blast site, Mr Tunde Solomon, was said to have died of shock on Thursday. The hotel announced his death on its Instagram page, saying his death was caused by the heavy blast which ripped through the area on Tuesday night.
Mourning the deceased on the hotel’s Instagram page bonhotelibadan, the management of the hotel described its late manager as a selfless and dedicated worker who had been using his 25 years in the industry for the growth of of the organisation.
The post reads: ”We regret to inform you of the sudden passing of our beloved Operations Manager, Mr.Tunde Solomon.
”Mr. Solomon suffered a heart attack on the 17th of January 2024, and it is believed that it was a consequence of the explosion that occurred on the 16th of January 2024 at Bodija.
”Mr. Tunde Solomon was a vastly experienced member of staff with more than 25 years in the industry. His commitment to his role and his contributions to the growth of BON Hotel Nest Ibadan and the BON group in general during his tenure were invaluable.
”His loss leaves a void that will be deeply felt by all who had the privilege of working alongside him.
”We extend our heartfelt condolences to Mr. Solomon’s family during this difficult time.
”Our thoughts and prayers are with them as they navigate through this challenging period.”
There are obviously many other private residents whose shock-induced death might not have been announced.
The wreckage of once beautiful buildings that stood firm in the area are visible, conveying the impact of the explosion believed to have been caused by storage of explosives in a residential community.
The losses are huge, bringing tears and distress to the elites that dominate the community.
While some of them were displaced by reason of the damage to their homes, some lost loved ones; a development they are still struggling to come to terms with.
Not only private individuals suffered human and material losses, businesses, worship centres and government establishments all got a dose each of the bitter pill. Hence, while some are mourning the death of loved ones, others are groaning over material losses, while others were moaning over both.
The Oyo State Government Secretariat, which is about 1,000 metres away, was not spared of the disaster. The office of the governor was also affected.
The University College Hospital (UCH) was still reeling from the impact as the ceilings of some of its buildings were shattered with computer systems affected at both UCH and state secretariat.
Although the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) put the number of affected houses at 58, more landlords were coming up with evidence of damage to their buildings.
Many buildings around Mokola, Osuntokun Avenue and New Bodija are still counting their losses. Ace Mall and Domino’s outlet on Awolowo Road had their ceilings shattered while Grandex, a supermarket in New Bodija, had its windows and ceilings smashed.
The building of Bodija Baptist Church and several other churches and mosques in the area were also shaken with impact to their roofs, ceilings and windows as well as other facilities within.
Banks in Bodija and Mokola suffered similar fate. So were other buildings around Coca-Cola and as far as Ikolaba Estate in the city.
Many hospitals around Bodija were littered with injured victims. It was tales of woe from the injured victims when our correspondent visited alongside the leaders of Bodija Estate Residents Association (BERA).
For 84-year-old Engr. Akinwale Morakinyo, his survival was like a miracle. The explosion brought the walls of his building down on him, but he was lucky to be rescued by the people around. His house shares perimeter fence with the house where the explosion took place.
The little girl that was staying with him became the angel that facilitated his rescue. He expressed surprise that his head and spine were still intact despite being under the rubble.
Morakinyo, who sustained a knee injury in the explosion, was admitted at JRapha, a private hospital at New Bodija.
Narrating his ordeal, he said: “I was watching the 7pm news on the television when the incident occurred. The wall of my bedroom fell on me. People were trying to carry the wall but they couldn’t.
“I was taking deep breath, and my breathing was getting weaker and weaker. If not for quick intervention by the people, I would have died there, because I was getting weaker and weaker and breathing was becoming more and more difficult.
“I had a girl that was staying with me. Immediately the incident occurred, she did not have any means of getting out because she could not gain access to the key. She was forced to climb the fence and started shouting for help before people came to my rescue.
“It was just the saving grace that there was someone at home, else, I would have died, because people outside there would just be searching other locations, not knowing that I had been trapped.
“I heard noises while I was trapped in the rubble. Someone came in to rescue me but could not do it. Another batch came in, they tried but could not do anything.
“Then another batch came in – they were about 20. Even with that, they still couldn’t move the rubble on me. So they started breaking it before I was eventually rescued. That was what caused these bruises you are seeing on me.
“Even if it’s time for someone to die, he should die peacefully, not by this kind of incident.”
I thought it was rapture – Survivor
Also narrating her experience, another resident of the area, Mrs Tokunbo Oseni, whose 18-year old son Timilehin Oseni is currently receiving treatment at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Redeemer’s Hospital, New Bodija having been badly injured, said the explosion made her think it was the rapture.
Her words: “I was at home that day around 7:45pm when we suddenly heard a loud sound and a very forceful explosion. We were staying downstairs in a duplex.
Everything scattered at once from the ceiling to the window, the doors and others.
“The ground was full of broken glasses and ceiling. Everywhere was dark and gloomy. We couldn’t see ourselves at all. We were just shouting.
“We thought the world had come to an end. We thought that rapture had come. We met everybody crying and shouting when we came out of the gate.
“Many people were injured. There was blood everywhere. Some people thought it was an earthquake. It was the following day we got to know that it was an explosion.
“Our son was outside our gate when the explosion occurred. It lifted him off the ground from Deji Oyelese, our street, and deposited him somewhere at Bond Hotel. He called us because he had a phone in his pocket as at that time. He was breathing profusely. He had inhaled so much dust and could not talk again.
“We went to bring him back home because we thought it was something we could treat ourselves. Everywhere was in chaos before we got out of the estate.
“He was placed on oxygen when we brought him here, because he could not breathe well. It took almost one hour before he could get better. The doctor later advised that we moved him to ICU (intensivecare unit).
“Timilehin was supposed to go back to school today (Thursday) at Adeleke University, Ede, Osun State, but he can’t go back now.
“We have called the school to tell them how the incident affected him, because their examination is about to start.
“The school showed understanding and promised to carry his Head of Department and others along concerning his matter so that he can write his test and examination whenever he goes back to school.
“We are homeless right now. When we leave the hospital, we don’t have anywhere to go. The house was badly damaged. We don’t know where to start from.
“We will appreciate if government can help everyone involved so that life can be easier for us, even though we know that government can’t do everything but just for us to start with something tangible, which I believe will go along way to assist us.”
Akande Oluwakemi was in the kitchen when the explosion occurred. She was injured all over her body by broken window glasses. She was knocked down by the glasses but was later rescued by her brother and others who rushed her to the hospital.
The Chairman, Bodija Estate Residents Association (BERA), Pastor Muyiwa Bamgbose, told our correspondent that the leadership discovered a lot of problems in the estate on assuming office. He added that measures were already being taken to address them when the explosion occurred.
He called for joint efforts by all stakeholders to improve security and peaceful coexistence.
His words: “When we came into the leadership of BERA, we saw that there were a lot of challenges and outright problems that had crept up on us due to unplanned development and changes in use of buildings.
“Bodija has shifted from the original design of a secured residential area with flower fences to a commercial centre. The original infrastructure and services need to be worked upon to cope with the current reality.
“We complained about the proliferation of clubs, lounges, eateries, etc without adequate control of the polluting effects. We have drawn up a Smart Bodija vision as a guide for our team before this disastrous event happened.
“While rallying support for the affected residents, the rest of the community are now in despair. Could this happen again? Can we cope?
“Those whose houses are marked for testing are pensive; what would the outcome be? If one’s house is to be demolished for something which was not their fault, will they be compensated and assisted to rebuild? How long will this hotel promise last? We can go on and on.
“We need all hands on deck to handle all these issues and more. We need to continue to beef up security to ensure that looting does not happen. We need to continue to sensitise and educate our residents on what to do.”
As the state government upscales efforts to mitigate the effects of the explosion on affected residents, all eyes are also on security agencies to fish out and bring to book those who stored explosives in a residential community.
The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, and the Chief Judge of Oyo State, Justice Iyabo Yerima on Friday, January 19, visited the scene of the Tuesday night Ibadan explosion.
The CJN was accompanied by Justice H.M. Ogunwumiju, Justice M.A. Adegbola, Justice A.L. Akintola, and Justice M.O. Ishola among others.
Places visited by CNJ and his entourage include House 40, owned by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, (SAN), Chief Niyi Akintola, the house of former Deputy governor of Oyo State, Chief Iyiola Oladokun, and other houses affected by the explosion.
Speaking during the visitation, Ariwoola described the incident as devastating, saying no one can explain it except God.
“What I’ve seen was devastating, I don’t know who can explain it, but God says he knows it all, God knew it before it happened, and only God will take care of everything.
“We cannot say the government should come and do it, but God will assist the government to assist all the families affected.
He said it could not be confirmed yet if the recovered parts belong to the fatalities recovered already or a new one, thereby allaying fears of increased fatalities.
He ruled out the possibility of recovering more fatalities noting that search and rescue efforts which has entered day four with the ground zero almost levelled.
BON Hotel Nest Ibadan has announced the passing away of its Operations Manager, Tunde Solomon.
The deceased was said to have died of a heart attack after the shock he suffered from the explosion that occurred near the BON Hotel, his place of work.
Explosion rocked Dejo Oyelese street last Tuesday night, claiming many lives, over 77 people injured, and collapsed alot of buildings in the area.
While mourning the deceased on the hotel’s Instagram page, bonhotelibadan, the management of the hotel described its late Operations Manager as a selfless and dedicated worker who had been using his 25 years in the industry for the growth of of organization.
”We regret to inform you of the sudden passing of our beloved Operations Manager, Mr.Tunde Solomon.”
”Mr. Solomon suffered a heart attack on the 17th of January 2024 and it is believed that it was a consequence of the explosion which occurred on the 16th of January 2024 at Bodija.”
”Mr. Tunde Solomon was a vastly experienced member of staff with more than 25 years in the industry. His commitment to his role and his contributions to the growth of BON Hotel Nest Ibadan and the BON group in general during his tenure were invaluable.”
”His loss leaves a void that will be deeply felt by all who had the privilege of working alongside him.”
”We extend our heartfelt condolences to Mr. Solomon’s family during this difficult time.”
”Our thoughts and prayers are with them as they navigate through this challenging period.“
Government agencies should unearth the root cause/s of the blast
The sprawling city of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, shook to its very foundation on Tuesday as flesh, bricks, metals and glass littered the streets and residences. As explosions rocked the ancient city, and cries could be heard everywhere, all wondered what was happening. Some even thought the end had come.
When the dust settled, Governor Seyi Makinde announced that five residents lost their lives, 77 sustained varying degrees of injury and about 58 houses collapsed.
The question is: what could have caused such devastation? Governor Makinde, as Chief Security Officer of the state, announced that preliminary report indicated that it occurred as a result of the bang that spread from the epicentre in Bodija, to the State Secretariat, College of Nursing at University of Ibadan, and Agodi Gate. He said it was the detonation of ammunition from a miner’s dump. Some residents are suspecting a Malian.
Already, ordinance and bomb disposal units of the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigerian Army are said to have swung into action. We commend the governor for his swift action in releasing the interim report from the security forces, thus dispelling rumours that could set the nation on fire.
Some had attributed the explosions to terrorists from the North who had migrated to the former capital city of Western Nigeria with a view to spreading therefrom to other parts of the region. Others pinpointed a particular gas station as source of the combustion.
Response by the Federal Executive Council is equally commendable as a committee at that level was mandated to investigate the incident. We hope however that the committee will work with other agencies of government at both the federal and state levels. It is no time to duplicate and dissipate energy as mine officers from the Ministry of Solid Minerals have also been deployed to the state.
While it would be hasty to come to any conclusion at this stage, we expect swift action by all concerned. The culprits have to be identified and prosecuted. Only then would others be deterred in various parts of the country, as this is not the first time that explosions would rock Nigerian cities, especially those where illegal mining is thriving. Lives of innocent people had been lost in similar circumstances in Nasarawa and Kogi states, among others.
This is a wake-up call on agencies and institutions of state to be proactive. What are intelligence units of our security forces doing? What is the Department of State Service that has presence in all 774 local government areas of the country doing to stem such man-made disasters? Why do they always wait until things go awry before special forces or crack units are deployed to such disaster zones? The Commander-in-Chief who swore to protect lives and property nationwide should not spare the rod where necessary.
It’s time for the solid minerals sector to be properly organised. It’s a shame that foreigners, Africans and non-Africans alike, stroll to mining sites in the country, using equipment that do incalculable damage to the environment, and reportedly killing the local people. This must stop.
When last was the Mining Act amended in consonance with international standards? It is bad enough that the country earns only pittance from solid minerals, the consequential harm being done to our citizens is unacceptable.
The security agencies should be restructured to encourage local participation. The undue centralisation of the security architecture can only continue to alienate the people, thus failing to nip crimes in the bud. We must put an end to explosions arising from undue storage of explosives.
Bodija Estate Residents Association (BERA) on Thursday, January 18, faulted rescue approached being used at the scene of Tuesday’s night explosion in Bodija, Ibadan, saying there is need for humane professionalism in handling rescue operation at the scene of the unfortunate incident.
They stated that using operators who work on construction site on the rescue site is inappropriate, noting that those responsible for the rescue operations should be more careful and more humane, saying, “We are talking about lives, not rubbles.”
Speaking in Ibadan after visiting some victim of the explosion at Redeemer Hospital and J-Raphal Hospital, BERA Chairman, Muyiwa Bamgbose lamented that the association were informed that more bodies has been discovered this morning which according to him is an overwhelming situation.
He said: “Last night, somebody gave us information that there is somebody they believe is in one house. We were at the venue to direct the people who are there so as to rescue the person.
“The unfortunate thing is that soldiers at the scene were driving us back. We told them that we were not busy bodies. We came here on genuine information. So, the situation is a bit confusing. We thank God for the minimal collateral but we are concerned about handling of the situation.”
“We feel there is need for more humane professionalism in this thing. We were told of an arm that was brought up by an excavator. Where is the body?
“Also, our concern is possible existence of other people in that category of other incidents. We have heard comments like people should know their neighbour and things like that.”
“But Bodija is a low density area. It is a mind your business area traditionally. Many people wouldn’t know what their neighbours are doing. For somebody to have been harbouring explosives like that, dynamite or whatever, that has been dealing with some agencies of government in getting approval of some sorts, in moving some things to some places.
Bamgbose however said aside government intervention, the landlords are also working on bringing succor to victims of the incident.
He sympathised with the victims and their families, describing the incident as unfortunate incident which could have been averted.
Two additional bodies have been recovered from the rubbles at the site of Tuesday’s explosion at Old Bodija, Ibadan.
While search and rescue efforts recovered one body intact, the other was recovered mutilated.
The development put the fatalities figure at five as of Thursday, January 18.
The Incent Manager, Emergency Situation Room, Prof. Temitope Alonge and the Oyo State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Oluwaserimi Ajetumobi made the disclosures in their separate remarks on Thursday in Ibadan.
Alonge said: “Yesterday (Wednesday), we were able to retrieve one corpse but not the full body, it was smashed up, we were only able to collect a few body parts.
“But unfortunately today (Thursday) there’s one more elderly woman that we have been looking for, she has been taken to the forensic pathology unit for assessment.”
He added that aside from providing accommodation for some displaced persons in nearby hotels, Alonge said the state government has engaged the services of clinical psychologists to provide psycho-social support for the servers.
He said: “We have engaged the services of clinical psychologists to help them come through this particular grief for those who have lost loved ones and also to counsel those whose property was damaged in the incident.”
Giving a sequential narrative of the event, the former Chief Medical Director of the University College Hospital (UCH) said officials of the Nigerian Society of Engineers have been deployed to begin integrity tests on the structures within the vicinity.
He appealed to owners of buildings and structures in the area to stay away from the property until the tests are concluded.
“The Nigeria Society of Engineers, Oyo State Chapter are on the ground and looking at the integrity test because we insisted that they should check all that this morning. And for homes that failed the test, I’m afraid they will have to be demolished and anyone that wants to pick a valuable in a relatively stable house will be accompanied by the engineers with their helmets and other safety officials.
“Once that is sorted out, valuables here means certificate and maybe land documents. Otherwise, we are not encouraging them to take beds, tables and chairs out of the premises because of the risk that they pose.
“So, we are carrying on search and rescue but at the same time the engineers are doing their jobs and the place is being secured by the Nigeria Army, Nigeria Police as well as Civil Defence and Amotekun Corps.” Prof. Alonge added.
In her remarks, the state commissioner for health, Dr Oluwaserimi Ajetumobi said many of the survivors who were taken for medical attention are relatively stable as many of them have been discharged to their relatives and family members.
She said: “So far, from our records, as of Wednesday we reported three but as at this morning (Thursday) we picked another body from the rubble and we also picked another body part that cannot be recognized. It was like a mopped-up muscle. So, let’s say maybe five in total now but we still don’t know whether we will pick more from the rubbles. But, so far so good, let’s say five has been recovered.”
In the government’s effort to support the survivors, the health commissioner said “Some of the victims have relations around Ibadan, some are staying with their relations. But, those people who are badly affected and don’t have anywhere to go have been asked to stay in our hotels around Ibadan.
“And apart from shelter, they are also providing food for them as a temporary measure. So, they are there now with all the support and even psycho-social support too for those who need to be talked to psychologically because this is devastating. It is a disaster. We know that either now or later, we know that they will need psycho-social and psychological support, so that’s also been provided and people have come now to say they are willing to help if we need more hands.
“And for those in hospitals, we have them in various hospitals, some were taken to UCH, and they are stable. Some are in Redeemers Hospital beside Ace Mall, they also are doing well, some are in Hilltop Hospital Mokola, the report we also got there was encouraging. The children that were taken to J-Rapha, all of them were discharged that day and some were with their relatives.
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu has indicated that the House of Representatives will launch a full-scale probe into Tuesday night explosion in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital.
The deputy speaker said in a statement on Thursday, January 18, that the House will probe the matter upon resumption of the plenary to ensure that justice is given to the dead and other victims alive.
H also asked the government and other relevant security agencies to carry out a thorough investigation into the incident.
Kalu expressed sadness over the explosion which reportedly claimed five lives, injured many, and destroyed properties worth millions of naira.
While commiserating with the families of the dead, the government, and the entire people of Oyo State over the losses, Kalu said the investigation should unravel the circumstances that led to the explosion to forestall future happenings.
The deputy speaker said those found culpable should be brought to justice.
