No less than 26 students from Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) are currently undergoing treatment in various hospitals in Ile-Ife, Osun State.
The students sustained different degrees of injury following an explosion that spread from a nearby filling station to their hostel at Legere Road, close to the school campus in Ile-Ife.
Speaking with a student, Sanusi Aderemi, who was in the building when the incident occurred, noted that he escaped by whisker.
“We just heard this loud sound of an explosion and before we could say jack, fire started ravaging properties and burning students. Honestly, it was a pathetic experience. How I escaped, only God can explain, because all I knew was that I just found myself outside.”
In a telephone conversation with the Students Union President of the institution, Abbass Akinremi Ojo, he said the unfortunate incident occurred around 6:00 pm on Tuesday.
He added that many students are currently in pain, while the owner of the filling station is feeling unconcerned.
Ojo added that with the swift intervention of the NANS National Senate President, Akinteye Babatunde Afeez, the concerned filling station and two other annexes have been closed down.
“The area commander has just called me now, saying that he is on his way from Ibadan to meet with us. Either meeting or not, we have demands and none of the locked filling stations will be reopened if the owner who has gone into hiding since the incident occurred refuse to accede to our demands.
