FG orders investigation into Ibadan explosion, as Tinubu commiserates with victims

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday set up a committee to investigate Tuesday’s explosion in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

This is as President Bola Tinubu also expressed sadness over the devastating explosion that killed two people and injured about 80 others

A statement by Ajuri Ngelale, the special adviser to the president on media and publicity, revealed that the explosion killed two persons and wounded about 80 others. It also destroyed several buildings, vehicles, and other properties.

The President, has in the statement, described the development as worrisome and ordered agencies concerned to thoroughly investigate the source of the explosives that caused the blast

“It is worrisome that the cause of the blast is being attributed to the activities of illegal miners. Those behind the inexcusable and reckless behaviour that has created the conditions for the sad incident to occur must be fished out and punished,” the President said.

President Tinubu commiserated with the government and people of Oyo State and called on all concerned agencies of government to unravel the circumstances that led to the tragedy with alacrity.

The President directs the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to work with the Oyo State Government to offer immediate and comprehensive relief to the victims.

Speaking after the meeting of the Federal Executive Council FEC, presides over by President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday, Abubakar Badaru, Minister of Defence, disclosed that the Council approved the establishment of a committee to investigate the explosion in Ibadan,

According to him ” the government is investigating source of the explosives as well as issues of environmental protection

The committee is made up of security agencies, the Ministry of Defence Environment and Ministry of Solid Minerals Development

“The committee will also look at illegal mining and environmental degradation.

Badaru said the investigation ” will also attempt to unravel how the control of explosive law may have been breached, to see if the breach is rampant.

” If there is any breach, we will deal with it.

The Minister who also spoke on insecurity, noted that kidnapping happening around Federal Capital Territory FCT’s satellite towns, are as a result of bandits fleeing military operations in the North West.

They are fleeing the region and moving to the FCT.

The Minister who kicked against raising funds or crowd funding to pay ransom, urged members of the public to desist from paying ransom to kidnappers.

“Preliminary investigation suggests that there are some explosives around the area and that it happened around that area owned by illegal miners. Well, we have also seen another report suggesting a gas explosion.

“So our team is there trying to find out what the course is.

“We have seen that report, but as part of the Council’s proactive action, we have already set up a committee to look into how the control of explosive law is broken, if indeed there are explosives around the area where these incidents happened.

“That was why the committee was set to look at the laws, to see where the chain is broken and to see how it can be fixed. And furthermore, we will get information about whether this is happening rampantly around the country.

“You all know that there’s strict law on the movement, storage and ownership of explosives and that is being monitored and if there’s any break down, we will find out and deal with it.”