The Federal Government has promised to make a definite pronouncement on last Tuesday’s explosion in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, after receiving the report of the ongoing forensic investigations.

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, made this known during a meeting with Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, in Ibadan on Monday, January 22, 2024.

Alake also assured Nigerians that those found culpable in circumstances leading to the explosion would face the full weight of the law.

“Let me assure the people of Oyo State that there will be full disclosure of the report of investigations and those found culpable will be made to face justice whilst mechanisms will be put in place to prevent a recurrence,” the minister said.

Speaking while visiting the scene of the blast for an on-the-spot assessment on Monday, Alake, who led the federal government delegation, expressed shock at the scale of devastation and unfortunate loss of lives, stressing that the incident was man-made and regrettable.

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Briefing the minister on the state government’s rescue efforts, the head of the state’s disaster management team, Prof. Tope Alonge, noted that the swift response of the state’s first responders and security agencies minimised the level of devastation and reduced the rate of casualties.

Recounting efforts to protect properties in the aftermath of the blast, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, Fatai Owoseni revealed that inter-agency collaboration by all security agencies coupled with logistics support from the state government prevented looting of victims’ properties, keeping the site secure till date.

In his visit to injured victims at the University College Hospital (UCH) in Ibadan, Alake conveyed the goodwill message of President Bola Tinubu, emphasising that the federal government would provide all the necessary support to ensure victims get back to their normal lives.

He added: “I am here to convey Mr. President’s deepest sympathies to you and to assure you that the administration stands shoulder to shoulder with you in your efforts to get back to your normal lives and attain full recovery.

“Be rest assured that succour that will ameliorate the impact of the tragic incident is underway.”

Urging citizens to be safety conscious, Alake underscored the imperative of being sensitive to suspicious happenings in the neighbourhood, stressing that such should be reported to security agencies to avert future incidents.

The Star