The Miners Association of Nigeria (MAN) has commiserated with the Government and people of Oyo State over the explosion that claimed the lives of residents of Bodija in Ibadan.
The explosion left five people dead, 77 injured and destroyed 58 houses.
A statement signed by Dele Ayanleke National President and Engr Fatai Jimoh, National Publicity Secretary respectively, the Association while describing the incident as unfortunate prayed for the repose of the people that lost their lives.
“On behalf of the Board of Trustees and the National Executive Council of Miners Association of Nigeria, we hereby commiserate with the Government and the people of Oyo State over the unfortunate incident of an explosion occasioned by illegally stockpiling of explosives in a residential property in a highbrow old Bodija GRA of Ibadan metropolis.
“Our heartfelt condolences and sympathy go to the direct victims of this dastardly act, which has resulted in colossal loss of lives of loved ones and property.
“While we pray for the repose of the souls of the departed in eternal bliss, it is also our prayers that God will uphold their dependents heal the injured and restore all material losses.”
MAN commended Governor Seyi Makinde for his prompt response to this emergency by facilitating immediate succour to the victims.
“We are not less grateful to His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for his directive to the National Emergency Management Agency, to provide all necessary reliefs to the victims,” the miners said.
The body assured of its support to all initiatives aimed at unraveling the perpetrators of this crime, with the view to bringing them to book in order to serve as deterrents to other criminal elements among us, who paint operators in the solid minerals sector in bad light.
“We further affirm our commitments to the continued collaboration with all tiers of government, their agencies and all stakeholders to end all forms of illegality in the solid minerals value-chain, in order to bequeath to the present and future generations of our nation, a sector that can provide the much desired pivot for the diversification and broadening of our national economy.
“We also call on all our members, across our various chapters, to be wary of those they partner with, and to expose all shady characters, parading themselves as operators in the sector, to the appropriate authorities in order to save the sector from every form of illegality and criminality,” the statement read.
