A survivor of the explosion that occurred at Dejo Oyelese Street, Bodija, Ibadan, Oyo State on Tuesday night, identified as Adeleke, has recounted how he lost his elder brother to the tragic incident.
Fewer than 10 persons were killed in the explosion, with 77 others injured.
Adeleke, who spoke with a local broadcasting station, Lagelu FM, said they were playing tennis at the hotel before his brother left to attend to something, and the explosion, which caused a stir, sent a sharp object that gave him a deep cut in his stomach.
He identified his late brother as Oladipupo, noting that he was rushed to the Adeoyo General Hospital immediately after the incident.
He said, “He came out to the front of the transformer where the incident happened. His intestines were out after the cut.”
Another survivor, Olaitan Okanlawon, said the incident happened around 7 pm after hearing a strange sound and vibration.
She added, “I was inside with my husband and kids. And we started hearing strange sounds and vibrations, it was not clear until we began to see rubbles, outside the window.
“One of my kids has a cut on his head and is being attended to, we have moved out our stuff to the hotel.”
Reacting to the incident, the state governor, Seyi Makinde, said preliminary investigations by security agencies revealed that explosive devices stored by illegal miners caused the explosion that rocked the area.
Makinde, who visited the explosion scene Tuesday night, said that though further investigations were still ongoing, anyone found culpable would be brought to book
