Ibadan Explosion: Oyo Gov’t Allays Fears, Keeps Mum On Cause, Casualty

The Oyo State Government has allayed the fears of residents of the state capital city, Ibadan, following an explosion on Tuesday night, saying it was on top of the situation.

A terse statement issued and signed by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Prince Dotun Oyelade, a copy of which was obtained by LEADERSHIP confirmed that residents of Ibadan and its immediate environs experienced an “uncommon explosion” at about 8pm Tuesday night.

The Commissioner, however, noted that there were “various interpretations of the incident but it is important for us to state categorically that the state government has taken over,” adding that the State Government had deployed all that is required to mitigate the unfortunate incident.

“All security service chiefs including para military chiefs and Fire Operatives have been deployed by the governor to reign in the spillover from the explosion.

“His Excellency Governor Seyi Makinde therefore implores citizens to calm down and be rest assured that their interests are being looked after,” Oyelade added without giving the cause of the explosion, its exact location and casualty figure if there is any so far.

LEADERSHIP reports that confusion had gripped the city of Ibadan as a loud explosion rattled several houses, causing damage across multiple locations.

According to X users, the incident happened at Bodija, a suburb of the city, around 7.00pm.

Though details of the explosion and cause remain sketchy as of the time of this report, some social media users claimed that it was a gas explosion.

Videos posted on various X handles showed blown-out windows in houses and a collapsed ceiling at a shopping mall in Bodija area of the city.

Another viral video shows a pick-up van conveying about three critically wounded persons to the hospital.