Kehinde Fajobi
Residents affected by the January 16, 2024, explosion in the Bodija area of Ibadan, Oyo State, have voiced their frustration, lamenting that they have yet to return to their homes nine months after the tragedy.
The explosion, which occurred on Dejo Oyelese Street, resulted in the death of five people, injuries to 77 others, and damage to 58 houses. Despite the passage of time, many victims are still displaced and living with relatives or friends.
Speaking at a press conference held at Dilay Event Centre in Ibadan on Wednesday, the residents, under the Dejo Oyelese Vigilante Group, appealed to both the Federal and Oyo State governments for more support.
The group’s chairman, Yakubu Adedigba, expressed the community’s growing distress.
“As patriotic and loyal Nigerians, while we are grateful to the government of Oyo State for the past favour, we now passionately call on both the Federal and State Governments to do more to alleviate the sufferings of the residents of DOVG,” Adedigba said.
He added, “It is an understatement to say that we are in distress as many of us have not been able to return to our homes and are still squatting with relatives and friends. Some of our houses destroyed by the blast are now overgrown with weeds and invaded by wild animals. Most of us are senior citizens who have no means at the twilight of our lives to embark on building new houses from our meagre resources.”
The residents urged the government to take immediate action to help them recover and rebuild their lives.