According to information, it has been revealed that the explosion in Ibadan on Tuesday was caused by a Malian who is involved in illegal mining activities in certain parts of Oyo State.
Residents of the street where the explosion took place posited that the Malian was residing in the building at the time of the incident.
On Tuesday, an explosion occurred at Dejo Oyelese close, Bodija Housing Estate in Ibadan.
This resulted in the death of two individuals, injury to several others, and the destruction of property worth millions of naira.
An elderly person, who spoke on Tuesday evening, revealed that the Malian has been residing in the house for a number of years.
“He is from Mali. But I don’t know that he was keeping such explosives in the house. We know him to be a Malian. Everyone knows that he is doing illegal mining.
“He and his family members left before the incident. He saw that the thing was on flames, so he took his children and wife out, and he ran away. Even some people who were aware of the flames left immediately.
“He is doing business in the Oke Ogun area. Only those who were not aware were affected. The man and his family members will still be in Ibadan here. They have their people in Ibadan,” he said.
Another resident, who has been living in the area for over two decades, noted that many people in the area refused to speak because of fear of attacks.
The man who is in his 60s told DAILY POST that, “People will not want to talk. What will they say? What the first person told you is not far from the truth.
“Go and check all the places I have mentioned. If you enter from Obasa, only a few houses are occupied by Nigerians.
“Majority of the houses there are being occupied by Malians. Malians have bought the majority of the houses there. Go and check it out. It is because of our complacency,” he lamented.
Another resident disclosed that the Malian left his earlier abode after a petition by residents.
“The man is into illegal mining activities. He has been living in the house for over one year. I was not at home when the incident occurred, but when I came from work, I went there to see the building.
“Three houses completely collapsed.
“We saw some documents. There was a petition against him by fellow tenants in his former residence.
“It forced him to leave the place and come here. He brought all the documents here. All the documents were blown away by the explosion. That was how we got them,” he added.
