The allegations by some victims of the recent Bodija explosion in Ibadan, Oyo State, that the state government has abandoned them has drawn reaction from the accused.
Recall that the mining-equipment-induced explosion at Adeyi Avenue, Old Bodija, Ibadan, in the Ibadan North left five persons dead, 55 houses damaged while 78 persons sustained injuries.
The government’s palliatiaves that border on caring for displaced victims in terms of feeding and accommodating them in hotels are said to have been withheld.
An allegation the authorities refuted through a statement the state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Dotun Oyelade released.
“The government has debunked the insinuation that it has abandoned the welfare of victims of the Bodija explosion in Ibadan. The rumour is unfair and unnecessary. Ever since the January 16 explosion, the government has been spending between N15m and N20m weekly on accommodation and feeding for the victims in the past eight weeks.
“As we speak, the government has spent over N160m on accommodation and feeding alone for the victims who were immediately accommodated at the hotels and 38 of them still residing in the various hotels. In the same vein, the government has picked up a medical bill of over N17m while those still in hospitals are being actively catered for,” Oyelade wrote.
He also denied claim that some of the victims were ejected from their hotels, saying, “One of the hotels at Idi-Ape informed their occupants that they would like to fumigate their premises and the government took it upon itself to immediately arrange transportation for the explosion victims to be accommodated in another hotel at Jericho together with members of their families.
“The government does not think making an issue of fumigating a facility is the correct thing to do because such exercise is routine and the prerogative of the hotel owners.
“On the accusation that victims’ meals have been reduced to one, the government sees this as equally spurious because many hotels provide complimentary breakfast, and most of our wards go out in the daytime, hence, the government’s decision to provide dinner.”
