The Bodija Estate Residents Association (BERA), Oyo State, on Wednesday, alleged that not less than nine people were still missing after penultimate Tuesday explosion at Adeyi in Bodija, Ibadan, the state capital.
It would be recalled that five people died, 77 sustained varying degrees of injuries and 58 houses were damaged during the explosion that rocked Dejo Oyelese Street while Governor Seyi Makinde, last weekend presented a preliminary report on the explosion to President Bola Tinubu.
However the President of BERA, Pastor Muyiwa Bamgbose, while speaking with journalists, raised the alarm on the sideline of face-to-face consultative forum, organized by Bodija residents.
He said, “It is now eight or nine people that have been missing. We have brought the map of the street, and we are trying to account for house by house, that’s how we can actually get accurate figure. If a person was seen yesterday and you can’t find him today, then you know you need to get worried.”
He said the declaration was based on their findings while collecting the data of the residents and number of the affected houses.
On the medical treatment received at different hospitals, he said, “A lot of people paid for their medicals. Those people could afford it. So, many people didn’t even go to designated hospitals, they just went somewhere to treat themselves. I must also confess that some of the hospitals were treating people initially without even recording, there are so many people, they were just giving them first aids.
“The hospitals contributed, they treated people without asking for money and then some people that could afford such took themselves somewhere, maybe private hospitals.
“In terms of hotels, there are some people whose their families paid in the hotels and asked them just go there and check yourself in, because there isn’t proper organization. If you are a decent person and they tell you that the government is going to pay for your accommodation. Our fear is that even government may get end up been short changed, how do you know who stay where? Yes, it was a chaotic situation but again there should be some kind of order and process, so that’s why some people will not wait for anybody, they just take care of themselves if they can afford it. A lot of people have taken care of themselves.
“Well, this is a first time that we will record this kind of incident in Oyo State, we never had anything like this before and I must first and foremost appreciate the spirit of the government. The government is definitely concerned, there is a difference between the will and ability but if you are willing then ability can come in later.
“The administration in the state has shown a great willingness, people have worked overnight without sleeping, even the Federal Government, you will be surprised, they have taken it so seriously, all the security apparatus, NEMA, working with the state emergency agency, everybody collaborated
‘I think we still need to learn from this experience. What are the things we didn’t do right that we can improve? God forbid, we are not praying for another one to happen, but it may not be a blast, it may be another thing, emergencies can always occur, it could be flood or whatever. So, how do we respond to emergencies?”
Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan
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