Leader of the pan-Yoruba socio-cultural and political organization, Chief Reuben Famuyide Fasoranti, has expressed shock over the devastating explosion that occurred in Ibadan on Tuesday evening.
The elder statesman called on the federal and state governments to ensure that such does not happen again.
He made the expression in a condolence message to the families of the victims, government of Oyo State and Nigeria as a whole, saying, “what happened in Ibadan on Tuesday night was not for the victims’ families or Ibadan residents alone, as some of the victims were from different parts of Nigeria and perhaps from outside the country.”
In the condolence message issued by the National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, Comrade Jare Ajayi, Pa Fasoranti said he deeply felt for the families of those who lost their lives in the unfortunate incident and prayed that the injured get well as quickly as possible.
Arogidigba Global Journal recalls that a seemingly mysterious explosion occurred at about 7pm Tuesday, January 16, 2024 around Dejo Oyelese/Awolowo Avenue, Old Bodija, Ibadan, capital of Oyo State.
Reports said the incident claimed at least four lives while about 80 people were injured, houses and cars were destroyed.
President Ahmed Bola Tinubu and Oyo State governor, Engineer Oluseyi Makinde, not only expressed sadness over the incident, they charged security agencies to dig deep into the root of the incident.
Makinde also promised that the state government will take care of the hospital bills of those who were injured and assist those whose properties were destroyed. Incidentally, some properties of the state government were also among those that suffered in the explosion.
“As the saying goes, an injury to one is an injury to all. What happened in Ibadan, just like various terrorist acts happening in different parts of the country, are quite worrisome to us in Afenifere and indeed to all of us in Yorubaland.
“This is why we always called on those concerned to take decisive steps to put a stop to these destructive acts, as we are all losers,” Ajayi quoted Pa Fasoranti as saying.
He added that the Afenifere Leader lent his voice to that of President Bola Tinubu and Governor Seyi Makinde in calling for the unveiling of those behind the explosion with a view to ensuring that such does not happen anywhere in Nigeria again.