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.”

SOURCE