Ogun Governor, Dapo Abiodun, on Monday directed the State Commissioner of Police, Lanre Bankole, to order an immediate redeployment and investigation of Divisional Police Officer in charge of Lafenwa, CSP Samuel Aladegoroye, following Sunday’s tanker explosion.

An angry Abiodun accused the DPO of “aiding and abetting crimes and criminality” in and around the area, especially inside Lafenwa market and its environs.

The explosion reportedly occurred at a failed portion at the railway on the Lafenwa-Ojurin-Ayetoro road in the Abeokuta-North Local Government Area of the state.

Eyewitnesses said that the tanker loaded with petrol skidded off the road when its axle broke and started spilling its contents on the road.

The accident led to chaos few hours later when traders and hoodlums in the market rushed to scoop the fuel from the fallen tanker before the intervention.

The show of force by the police allegedly infuriated some hoodlums who reportedly ignited fire that triggered the explosion.

A woman and her grandchild were was said to have been burnt to death in the wake of the explosion.

When the governor visited the area on Monday, he expressed deep concerns over what he termed as the “criminal act” of hoodlums triggering explosion after a tanker had fallen and spilt its content.

Abiodun also ordered the arrest of all miscreants involved in Sunday explosion.

He stated that he received a deluge of complaints that the DPO was inefficient in carrying out his statutory duties of maintaining law and order in the area.

“There are complaints against the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) here. I want that DPO investigated. I also want him removed from this place because this is not the first time that complaints have been lodged against him.

“We have gotten several complaints against him about how he mismanages this place, particularly as it pertains to miscreants that come and disturb the traders.

“He arrests them, within five to ten minutes, he releases them and that is why this place has continued to be restive. The thuggery in this place has not been contained.

“I want the CP to declare an emergency here in Lafenwa; I want every miscreant arrested because this kind of situation is totally unacceptable – where a tanker overturns, fuel that is highly inflammable is flowing through the drainage and someone wilfully ignites it so that they could cause chaos and begin to loot the market. This is very bad; it is just not acceptable; it is criminal.”

He regretted that people would be so heartless to set fire on the tanker when efforts by security and fire personnel were on the ground to salvage the situation.

While calling for a full investigation, the governor urged the Police Commissioner to “ensure that everybody involved in this heinous crime is arrested and brought to book. We must make an example of them.”

Abiodun described the loss of lives as unfortunate, noting that both Federal and State Fire trucks were also damaged by the hoodlums who also prevented fire trucks and men of Transport Enforcement and Compliance Agency from sealing off the area and protecting the tanker from going up in flames.

He gave the Commissioner of Transportation, Gbenga Dairo and the Commander of TRACE three days to carry out an investigation into the immediate cause of the accident.