Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has assured victims of the Bodija explosion that the long-awaited relief fund will be disbursed without further delay, as the government received the committee’s report on the fund’s management and distribution.
The report, submitted on Wednesday at the Governor’s Office in Ibadan, provides a detailed framework for compensating those affected by the tragic January 16, 2024 explosion, which claimed five lives, injured 78 people, and damaged 58 houses. In total, 335 persons were impacted by the disaster.
Deputy Governor Bayo Lawal, who received the report on Makinde’s behalf, reiterated the government’s commitment to swift action.
He emphasized that the administration had no excuse for further delay and would implement the committee’s recommendations as soon as possible.
“We know that we do not have the luxury of further delay in implementation. We will put in all the efforts required for quick implementation so that victims of the explosion will be assuaged and assisted without further delay,” Lawal assured.
The explosion, which rocked Aderinola Street in Old Bodija, was a rare and devastating incident that prompted the state government to set up a special committee in December 2024 to oversee the disbursement of relief funds.
A key member of the committee, retired Commissioner of Police Fatai Owoseni, revealed that the four-volume report was compiled with input from key stakeholders, including the Dejo Oyelese Vigilante Group and the Bodija Estate Residents Association.
Owoseni explained that the report outlined the distribution of financial support, detailed the extent of damages with pictorial evidence, and provided a transparent breakdown of funds allocated to various categories of victims.
Speaking on the recommendations, BERA President Muyiwa Bamgbose disclosed that different levels of support were proposed, depending on the severity of each person’s loss.
“We proposed support for different categories of victims, including those who lost loved ones, buildings, vehicles, and other valuables,” Bamgbose said.
