1 month ago
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Affected residents of Tuesday, January 16, 2024, Bodija explosion in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Wednesday, voiced their frustrations over what they described as government neglect.
The incident shook Ibadan and shattered many houses in the affected areas, stretching from Sango to around Ojoo.
A Malian who lived in the area was fingered as responsible for the blast, as he reportedly stocked mining explosives in his residence.
The victims, who lamented that they were yet to return to their homes nine months after the incident, therefore, called on both the state and federal governments to do more to alleviate their sufferings.
The PUNCH reports that five people died, 77 sustained varying degrees of injuries, and 58 houses were damaged during the explosion that rocked Dejo Oyelese Street in Ibadan.
Addressing journalists under the auspices of Dejo Oyelese Vigilante Group, the victims, who spoke through the chairman, Yakubu Adedigba, at Dilay Event Centre in Ibadan, the state capital, lamented that the suffering was unbearable, hence the need for governments to come to their aid.
“As patriotic and loyal Nigerians, while we are grateful to the government of Oyo State for the past favour, we now passionately call on both the federal and state governments to do more to alleviate the sufferings of the residents of DOVG.
“It is an understatement to say that we are in distress as many of us have not been able to return to our homes and are still squatting with relatives and friends.
“Some of our houses destroyed by the blast are now overgrown with weeds and invaded by wild animals.
“Most of us are senior citizens who have no means at the twilight of our lives to embark on building new houses from our meagre resources,” they added.
The victims, however, called for the continued prosecution of those responsible for the explosion and stronger measures to prevent illegal mining activities that threatened residential areas.
“We demand transparency in the legal proceedings against those who brought this devastation to our community. Justice must be served, not just for us but to deter future incidents,” they said.
The victims also expressed concern over the lack of progress regarding their compensation claims, submitted nine months ago.
They urged the state government to act on the list of material losses and provide the promised support.
Some of the affected residents shared their personal experiences during the press conference, recounting their losses and hardships.
