News
Fresh Posers Over Deadly Ibadan Blast
Some security experts are questioning claims by the Oyo State Government that the explosion that ravaged Bodija area of Ibadan, the state capital last Tuesday was caused by dynamites used by illegal miners.
Security experts with knowledge about the nature and workings of explosives have strongly disagreed with the state government, arguing that the tragedy was triggered by an explosive device other than dynamite.
But some other security experts are of the view that the state government’s position is in order.
A retired major in the American Army Yinka Ogunsanya first disputed the Oyo State government’s claim.
He said the explosion was not caused by miners’ explosives.
Retired Major Mohammed Bashir Galma did not agree with him.
He told The Nation that the Ibadan explosion would have killed more people if it had been caused by a bomb.
Galma said “that one was trained by the US Army does not make him an expert in all fields. “For God sake we have experts in Nigeria.
“The Governor of Oyo State, Mr Seyi Makinde is an educated person; most people who live in Bodija where the explosion happened are educated people, so, someone who is not on ground should not come and tell us what is not.
“I listened to a retired Nigerian Army Officer, though he is my junior who is now a leader of CAN in the South-West, he gave a fantastic analysis of what happened in Ibadan. So, it is wrong of Major Ogunsanya (rtd) to draw conclusion that, because the explosion caused a huge crater in the ground and the same radial destruction outwards from the epicenter, it is suspected to be some mechanized, pressurized and nitrate based manufactured bomb designed to cause catastrophic damages and kill
“What I know is that what makes the difference in explosions is the shrapnels. If the Ibadan explosion was a mechanized bomb designed to kill as insinuated, there would have been shrapnels in it and it would have killed many more people than it did.
“So, to me the explosion may not be more than the miners’ explosives as reported. What we need to know is that the size of the explosion and its impact depend on the amount of the miner’s explosive stored in the house. The explosives in Ibadan must have been poorly stored and in large quantities to have caused the level of damage it caused.”
He noted that similar explosions had happened elsewhere around the world with similar impact.
He therefore called for thorough investigation of the incident, which he said will lay to rest the unscientific conclusions being peddled around, adding that Nigeria has experts that can carry out such investigation.
A former Police Inspector General,Sir Mike Okiro and a former Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Commissioner of Police, Lawrence Alobi aligned with the position of the state government, saying they could not contradict the government since they are not on ground to conduct any investigation into the nature of the explosive that went off.
Okiro said: “In developed countries we normally have those things stored in industrial areas to forestall this kind of disaster that occurred in Ibadan.
“People cannot carry explosives anyhow. I think there is a law that guides people on that. They are not abiding by it. That law must be re-enforced to avoid this kind of thing happening again.
“This is an eye opener to all of us and we should avoid future occurrences. Other states should prevent this type of thing from happening.”
Speaking in the same vein, Alobi said: “It is so sad that this type of thing would happen in a country where people should always abide by the law. Those involved should be brought to book. Everyone should be worried about this sad development. Government has a lot to do on this.”
Another retired Commissioner of Police, and bomb expert Dan Okoro advised Nigerians to be careful with the use of chemical explosives in mining activity.
Okoro who is also a former Special Adviser (SA) to Imo State Governor on Security, said the Ibadan explosion could be attributed to dynamite which is commonly used in construction and excavation.
“We should wait for the outcome of the police bomb disposal unit investigation,” he said”
He said: “A bomb is specifically designed for a particular target and it is detonated for a specific target.
“In the case of what happened in Ibadan, if it was a bomb that was used, the fragment will give a lead as to what type of explosive it was because bomb has chips in it. So, it is the fragment that will tell whether it is for constriction or a particular target.”
Okoro said the explosives must have been packed for a long time in an enclosure.
His words: “I believe the explosives are for construction, but you know when you keep something that is explosive parked in a place for too long, they can expire.
A social commentator John Ogunlela,writing on his Facebook wall @john.ogunlela said: “This is significant. Let’s look at the physical elements:
The crater.
“The big hole is where the explosion originated from. The explosive material was sitting on that place. From the size and shape, it was a localized, powerful material. This wasn’t an explosion of warehoused materials, it was a specific, high explosive. It looks 4-5m deep and 9-12m wide.
The radius of blast.
“It is an even cone. The blast wave radiates upward and outwards with its stump at the crater. You can see it obliterated everything close to the crater and as its power diminishes outwards, it only beheaded fences and then ruined rooftops in the peripheral areas. The radius of effective destruction is about 33m with additional 70m of lighter destruction, mostly involving roofs (making a total of about 90-110m). The crater looks like 4m deep and 9m wide. This will be something like 200kg of high explosive or 70% more of dynamite.
“Can anybody tell us what was in that centre – the ground zero before the blast? If it was an open space, then this was a car bomb. If it was a home, then it could be a pallet of dynamite intended for rock blasting. Studies of the chemical composition of the explosive are called for so we can be certain it wasn’t a military ordinance.
“The really weighty thing, in my observation and personal opinion, is that if this was a rack of dynamite, it will not explode in a single blast. A primary explosion will first occur which will send several sticks of dynamite flying in several directions and then you will have many secondary explosions. It will be a rolling explosion. The signature of such a blast will be different with houses about 500m away burning and you will have smaller craters all around marking points where dynamite sticks landed. You won’t see this clean, conical, radial blast with diminishing,. outwardly radiating destruction patterns. I think the authorities will still tell us more about it. It is less likely that a rack of mining explosives caused this damage.
“Let’s now wait till an expert opinion throws this out – and I hope it gets thrown out!”
Minister visits University College Hospital, Ibadan, empathises with blast victims
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Tunji Alausa, yesterday visited the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, to see victims of the Ibadan explosion.
The minister and members of UCH management, led by the Chief Medical Director, Prof. Jesse Otegbayo toured the hospital to assess the impact of the explosion.
He confirmed that 17 victims were “brought in alive, 10 among them have been treated and discharged.”
“I have seen the remaining seven; they are doing so well. I asked them how the care has been and they said they are getting excellent care.
“I am very happy for that and I am sure that the president will also be very happy about that,” Alausa said at the end of the tour.
He said he was an emissary of President Bola Tinubu who has empathy for the victims and the determination to improve health care delivery.
Alausa commended UCH for the comprehensive attention paid to victims in its care.
He said the second reason for his visit was to assess structures affected by the explosion in the hospital.
He pledged that the ministry would assist UCH to repair some of the damaged structures.
“The Chief Medical Director has assured that the hospital’s engineering team will conduct integrity tests to arrive at the state of impacted structures and needed intervention.
“We want to ensure that patients, staff and visitors are safe in the hospital,” Alausa stressed.
Earlier, Otegbayo remarked that repair of the damaged structures had already started before the minister’s visit.
“The repairs had started, especially at the areas where the glasses shattered. We wanted the minister to see the effect; we hope to continue with the repairs as we await the promise made by the minister.
“The patients are doing very well. The state government is picking their bills,” Otegbayo said.
No fewer than five persons were reported to have died and 77 others injured when the explosion occurred at Bodija, a residential area adjacent to UCH.
PFN president visits explosion site
President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Bishop Francis Wale Oke, has lamented the devastating impacts of the explosion.
Bishop Oke who paid a visit to Adeyi Street, Bodija, Ibadan where the tragedy occurred, expressed grief over the level of devastation.
On ground to receive the PFN President were the Incident Manager, Prof. Temitope Alonge, Commissioner for Health, Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi; Special Adviser to Governor Seyi Makinde on Security Matters, Fatai Owoseni; and a Director of the Federal Road Safety Commission coordinating the recovery efforts.
The clergyman, who is the Presiding Bishop of Sword of The Spirit Ministries, described the incident as extremely sad and grievous, praying that God may heal the wounds of the affected residents and give the state government the wisdom, courage and resources to address the situation.
The PFN scribe, accompanied to the epicenter of the blast by the Presiding Bishop of Victory International Church Worldwide, Bishop Taiwo Adelakun; and many other pastors in the PFN, stated that in all things, it is just and good to give thanks to God. He stressed that in good times and bad times, all humans must acknowledge the mightiness of the creator.
Gani Adams condemns Ibadan explosion, urges Makinde to bring culprits to book
The Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yoruba land,Iba Gani Adams condemned the explosion in Ibadan and urged Governor Makinde to bring the culprits to book.
Iba Adams, who described the incident as very unfortunate said the best thing the state government could do to unravel the perpetrators is to investigate the incident and bring the culprits to book.
“As far as I am concerned, the story of the Ibadan explosion has left many questions hanging in the balance. It was a security threat to the state, that is why it is important for Governor Seyi Makinde to fish out those behind the incident and bring them to book,” he said in a statement by his spokesman, Kehinde Aderemi.
“It is very unfortunate that the death toll is rising by the day and victims of the unfortunate incident are in the various hospitals recuperating.
“The extent of the damage in the area was great involving many houses. And going by the statement and assurances of the governor, I think a case of such multiple damages should not be treated with levity. Ibadan is the political headquarters of the Southwest region and anything that affects Ibadan naturally has a spiral effect on other states in the south west.
“So, the Oyo state government should leave no stone unturned by making sure that perpetrators of the dastardly act didn’t go scot-free.”
A human rights lawyer and lead counsel for the Indigenous People of Biafra, Sir Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has urged South-East residents to completely ignore what he described as a “fraudulent” sit-at-home order allegedly scheduled for Monday, February 2, 2026, by a faction of the group.
Recall that the pro-Biafran group, through its spokesman Emma Powerful, had directed a sit-at-home on February 2 across the region in solidarity with traders at the Onitsha Main Market.
Powerful said the total shutdown in Biafraland is a direct, peaceful, and unified response to the actions of Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, who ordered the closure of the Onitsha Main Market for one week.
But in a counter statement released on Saturday, Ejiofor said the source behind the directive, operating under the guise of “Emma Powerful,” has been compromised and is acting against the collective interest of Ndi-Igbo.
He insisted that IPOB has formally and decisively distanced itself from the false sit-at-home order and directed Ndi-Igbo to go about their lawful activities without fear.
The statement read in part: “Once again, the well-worn theatre of misinformation has opened its curtains, this time with a particularly lazy script and an insultingly predictable cast.
“Late yesterday, a report was widely circulated alleging that a total lockdown of Ala-Igbo had been ordered under the guise of a sit-at-home directive purportedly issued by ‘Emma Powerful,’ slated for Monday, February 2, 2026.
“Let it be stated clearly, unequivocally, and without ambiguity: this directive is fake, a phantom, a calculated falsehood.
“Upon careful inquiry and diligent verification, especially considering the delicate and hard-won calm presently returning to our homeland, it became glaringly obvious that the so-called ‘Emma Powerful’ platform has been fatally compromised.
“It has been hijacked by vested interests whose business model thrives on fear, disruption, extortion, and the cynical exploitation of vulnerable communities.
“The peaceful global movement of the IPOB has formally and decisively disowned this fabricated publication, categorically distancing itself from the false sit-at-home order and directing Ndi-Igbo to go about their lawful and normal activities without fear.
“Going forward, the message from IPOB is unmistakable: any publication attributed to ‘Emma Powerful’ should be treated with extreme suspicion, if not outright contempt.
“Frankly, one cannot but express astonishment, bordering on disbelief, that at such a critical juncture, when relative peace is cautiously resurfacing in Ala-Igbo, anyone would recklessly circulate information capable of reopening wounds and inviting criminal infiltration.
“History has taught us, at unbearable cost, what happens when fake directives fall into the hands of violent opportunists masquerading as enforcers.
“It is therefore no longer sufficient to merely advise our people to ‘ignore’ publications from this source. The time has come for greater clarity and firmness. The platform known as ‘Emma Powerful,’ in its current corrupted state, has positioned itself as an adversary to Ala-Igbo’s peace, progress, and collective well-being.”
According to Ejiofor, the peaceful global movement must go further by publicly and definitively explaining why this source has become unreliable, compromised, and hostile to the collective interest of Ndi-Igbo. Silence, ambiguity, or polite distancing, he said, only leaves room for further abuse.
“A masquerade that dances with fire should not be mistaken for a messenger of truth,” the statement concluded.
In recent operations across the North East, troops of the Joint Task Force Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) have neutralized scores of terrorists and recovered a significant cache of arms and ammunition.
Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, Media Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East) in a statement said intelligence has confirmed the killing of JULAIBIB, a top ISWAP commander operating within the Gujba axis of the Timbuktu Triangle, during an encounter around Kimba, Damboa LGA of Borno State, on 30 January 2026.
According to the statement, the elimination of the terrorist leader has thrown ISWAP elements in the area into disarray, with several fighters reportedly neutralised during the operation.
In a related operation, troops of OPHK, working in collaboration with the Civilian Joint Task Force, neutralised 3 terrorists during a well-coordinated ambush between Ngazalgana and Lamusheri communities in Borno State.
It said the operation followed credible intelligence on insurgent movements in the area, as troops laid an ambush along the identified route and engaged the terrorists with effective firepower, resulting in the neutralisation of 3 insurgents, while others fled with gunshot injuries.
The statement said troops recovered two AK-47, adding that the operation forms part of sustained efforts to deny terrorists freedom of movement and degrade their operational capabilities across the Theatre.
It said troops also recorded multiple successes in Adamawa State, adding that on 29 January, 2026, troops responded swiftly to a distress call from Barama community, Mubi North LGA, foiling an armed robbery attempt. Two armed robbery suspects attempting to attack a student of the Federal Polytechnic, Mubi, were arrested. One suspect sustained a gunshot wound to the thigh while attempting to confront the troops and was evacuated to the Federal Medical Centre, Mubi, for treatment.
The suspects were subsequently handed over to the Nigeria Police for further investigation. Items recovered include 3 cutlasses, 2 laptops, 4 mobile phones, and one power bank.
The Court of Appeal sitting in Ilorin, Kwara State has affirmed the death sentences passed on five 2018 Offa robbery convicts.
The court dismissed their appeals as lacking merit.
The Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) in the state, Mohammed Akande, who witnessed the proceedings, said that the three Appeal Court judges unanimously agreed on the judgement and affirmed the verdict of the state High Court condemning the five persons to death by hanging.
“The Court of Appeal, Ilorin Division comprising of Hon. Justice Ridwan Maiwada Abdullahi JCA, Hon. Justice Gabriel Kolawole JCA and Hon. Justice Abdul Dogo today, Friday affirmed the judgment of Hon. Justice H. A. Saleeman of the Kwara State High Court, that sentenced the Appellants: Niyi Ogundiran, Salawu Azeez, Ibikunle Ogunleye, Ayoade Akinnibosun and Adeola Abraham to death by hanging for the involvement in the Offa Bank Robbery”.
Another official of the Court also said that the appellate court rejected all the grounds of appeal filed by the convicts and ordered their immediate return to prison custody.
“The court dismissed all their grounds of appeal and upheld their convictions. They have been taken back to prison,” the official said.
The official said that the arguments raised at the Court of Appeal were unconvincing and may not succeed if repeated at the apex court.
It is recalled that Ayoade Akinnibosun, Azeez Salahudeen, Niyi Ogundiran, Ibikunle Ogunleye and Adeola Abraham were convicted of armed robbery, illegal possession of firearms and culpable homicide.
A sixth suspect, Michael Adikwu, a retired police officer, died in custody before the commencement of the trial.
At least 32 people were killed, including nine police officers, two of whom were women, making it one of the deadliest bank robberies in Nigeria’s history.
Justice Haleemah Saleeman of the Kwara State High Court had earlier sentenced the five convicts to death by hanging after a trial that lasted about six years and attracted nationwide attention.
In her judgment, which lasted over four hours, Justice Salman held that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
She said the convicts “acted contrary to the law and allowed their connections with those in power at the time to lead them astray”.
In addition to the death sentence, the trial court also sentenced them to three years’ imprisonment for illegal possession of firearms, in line with provisions of Nigeria’s penal laws.
Lead prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), described the appellate court’s decision as thorough and well considered, despite the prolonged delays that characterised the trial.
On the defence side, Abdullah Jimba, counsel to one of the convicts, said that preparations were underway to pursue a final appeal at the Supreme Court.
Funke Akindele Fires Back At Kunle Afolayan’s Cinema Remarks
Ignore Fake February 2 Sit-at-Home Order, IPOB Lawyer Tells South-East Residents
Joint Task Force Crushes Terrorist Cells In North East, Heavy Weaponry Seized
Appeal Court Affirms Death Sentences for Five Offa Bank Robbery Convicts
Donald Duke Officially Joins ADC Following Resignation from PDP
ADC’s Aisha Yesufu Issues Public Apology For Listing Yemi Adamolekun Without Consent
APC Confirms Active Engagement With Wike To Resolve Rivers Crisis
Cybercrime Battle: Nollywood’s Angela Okorie Remanded Following Mercy Johnson Petition
Kano: APC Deputy Gov Candidate, Murtala Garo Welcomes Governor Yusuf To Party
Ex-Senator Iyabo Obasanjo Joins All Progressives Congress
-
News2 days agoDonald Duke Officially Joins ADC Following Resignation from PDP
-
News1 day agoJoint Task Force Crushes Terrorist Cells In North East, Heavy Weaponry Seized
-
Entertainment21 hours agoFunke Akindele Fires Back At Kunle Afolayan’s Cinema Remarks
-
News22 hours agoIgnore Fake February 2 Sit-at-Home Order, IPOB Lawyer Tells South-East Residents
-
News1 day agoAppeal Court Affirms Death Sentences for Five Offa Bank Robbery Convicts