Tinubu orders investigation of Ibadan explosion

Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru, says President Bola Tinubu has ordered a probe into the explosion that shook parts of Ibadan, the state capital, on Tuesday night.

He said a team of investigators have been deployed to the state and have since begun work “trying to find out what the course is”.

Badaru stated this on Wednesday while addressing the press at the conclusion of the first Federal Executive Council meeting held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

According to reports, the explosion killed two persons and wounded about 80 others. It also destroyed several buildings, vehicles, and other properties.

It was said that explosives kept in one of the buildings in the Bodija neighbourhood of Ibadan by illegal miners was what set off the explosion.

Furthermore, the federal government has been urged to investigate the activities of illegal miners operating within the nation by the non-governmental group Urban Alert (NGO).

However, the minister revealed that a committee has been set up to investigate any violations of the explosives control laws, noting that if “should there actually be explosives in the vicinity of the occurrence.

“The Ibadan explosion where the governor said preliminary investigation suggests that there are some explosives around the area that it happened that are owned by illegal miners. Well, we have also seen another report suggesting also gas explosion.

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

“We have seen that report but the council to be proactive has 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 this 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 father more information if 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 breakdown, we will find out and deal with it.”