Death toll rises to three.
The Oyo State government has identified the company that stored the explosives, which caused Tuesday night’s explosion on Dejo Oyelese Street, Adeyi Avenue, Old Bodija, Ibadan.
Addressing journalists at the briefing room of the Governor’s Office, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan, on Wednesday, Governor Seyi Makinde promised to bring the culprits to justice.
“Those who brought this tragedy on Oyo State will be brought to book,” he said.
Mr Makinde called for calm, assuring that the state government has been on top of the situation and that it was leaving no stone unturned regarding the search and rescue of victims at the rubble of the incident as well as the welfare of victims and the security of their properties.
He maintained that it was a trying time for the state and that its people must draw on their strength and resilience, and be their brother’s keepers.
A statement by the special adviser (media) to the state governor, Sulaimon Olanrewaju, quoted Mr Makinde to have stated that as part of measures by the government to address the situation, it had set up an Emergency Operation Centre to oversee search and rescue.
He promised that search and rescue efforts will continue until all lives in the vicinity of the blast were accounted for, adding that the government has also made provisions with hotels to accommodate victims and those living close to the site of the incident once they are able to identify themselves.
The governor disclosed that President Bola Tinubu had spoken to him to commiserate with families who lost loved ones to the incident, and promised the support of the Federal Government.
He expressed gratitude to the President for also deploying the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), which he noted was on the ground at the scene of the explosion.
The governor recounted that so far, there were three deaths from the incident and that the number of the injured was about 77.
He warned residents to be wary of spreading fake figures and misinformation regarding the fatalities and the number of casualties.
Ahead of the press conference, the governor visited some victims of the incidents at different hotels around Bodija, Idi Ape and Ikolaba, where the state government is providing accommodation and feeding for them.
“Since yesterday, our security agencies, first responders, emergency services and all other relevant agencies have been working diligently as they carry out search and rescue operations.
“Just this morning, another individual was recovered from the rubble. I want to assure you that the search and rescue operation will continue until all lives within the vicinity of the blast are accounted for,” the governor said.
Mr Makinde said the state government was aware that aside from the immediate perimeter of the incident, people as far as 25km away may have been affected physically or psychologically.
As such, he said said government set up the Emergency Operation Centre, headed by Temitope Alonge, to coordinate all search and rescue efforts.
“I would like to appeal to our people to remain calm as we do everything to provide succour to everyone concerned. Some numbers have been provided to reach out to the Emergency Operation Centre.
“I know the 615 is operational but there are additional ones: 07049948057 and 08147672009. If you have any information regarding any persons who may still be trapped within that perimeter, please call those numbers and we will respond to you,” he added.
The governor appealed to those staying in any of the houses within 250 metres of ground zero to move out to government-provided accommodation until structural integrity test was conducted on the buildings.
Mr Makinde also warned individuals who might be planning to take advantage of the incident to perpetrate crimes, saying that security agents would deal decisively with them.
He promised that the state would continue to provide regular updates regarding the actions it is taking through the EMO and its various back channels on and off social media.
While addressing journalists, the Head of the Emergency Operations, Alonge said an emergency response to the incident was to set up a team of about 40 doctors, 40 nurses and 25 medical students at the University College Hospital, Ibadan.
He added that victims that were injured were receiving medical attention in private and government hospitals and that most of them were in stable condition.
“Aside from doctors and nurses, we have added to our team physiotherapists, clinical psychologists and they were on ground yesterday to assess the psychological state of the survivors of this unfortunate incident,” Mr Alonge said.
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