The federal government, through the Ministry of Solid Minerals, is looking forward to receiving the results of the forensic investigation into the cause of the tragic explosion at Ibadan, Oyo State capital, last week, before taking action.
Sequel to the explosion, President Bola Tinubu had, in the presence of the minister of solid minerals, Dr. Dele Alake, called Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde on the phone to commiserate with the victims and the people of the state over the incident..
The explosion occurred last Tuesday at Dejo Oyelese Close, Adeyi Avenue, Bodija, Ibadan, leaving two dead and over 80 injured. Initial suspicion was that the blast came from an illegal mining site.
Special assistant on media to the minister of solid minerals development, Segun Tomori, who disclosed this in a statement to journalists in Abuja, noted that subsequently dispatched the mines inspectorate officers of the ministry to the scene of the explosion to join other security agencies to unravel the cause of the explosion.
“The federal government is now waiting for the outcome of forensic investigations that will determine the real cause of the blast, the type of explosives that triggered it and the circumstances leading to the unfortunate incident that led to loss of lives and properties,” it said.
According to the statement, the minister has been working with the security agencies to not only unearth the cause of the blast but also put mechanisms in place to avert a recurrence.
It noted that on Wednesday during the Federal Executive Council meeting, President Bola Tinubu had constituted an inter-ministerial committee led by Dr. Alake to come up with a blueprint to effectively and efficiently secure the country’s solid minerals, forests, and marine economy.
“The committee held a maiden meeting last Friday and has been working round the clock to draw up strategies of achieving the presidential mandate. In the coming days, there will be an expanded meeting with heads of security agencies, which will assist the committee in getting the requisite inputs that will guide it in turning in a robust report to the President,” it said.
The minister assured Nigerians that the federal government is committed to addressing challenges from the root, hence its resolve to await the outcome of painstaking forensic investigations on the Ibadan explosion before making a definite pronouncement.
“The minister believes that in sensitive situations like this, the security agencies should be allowed to do their job, as against acting on speculations. That way, the people are better informed, culprits can be brought to book, and concerted efforts can be put in place to avoid a recurrence,” the statement added.
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