From Our Correspondent
Residents of Bodija Community said more than 10 people are still missing following the Jan. 16 bomb explosion in the area.
Bodija Estate Residents Association (BERA) announced this at its Consultative Forum on Wednesday in Ibadan.
BERA, therefore, urged that wealthy Nigerians to assist victims of the incidence.
The group also demanded for a thorough investigation to unravel the cause of the explosion.
President of BERA, Pastor Muyiwa Bamgbose, said the explosion had rendered many people homeless.
”Some of them have dead while many others sustained varying degrees of injuries.
Bamgbose commended the Federal and Oyo State governments for their prompt respone to the incident.
He, however, stressed the need for government to learn from the explosion and prepare for better emergency response in the future.
BERA president noted that response to the incident, though quick, was uncoordinated.
This led to the lapses still being experienced by victims.
He pointed at the need for continued care and support for victims whose lives had changed unexpectedly since the incident.
On rescue efforts and the number of missing people, Bamgbose said BERA could still not account for at least 10 people.
”I think it is now about nine or 10 that the neighbourhood has talked about.
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”We took the map of the street to them and tried to account for people house by house to get accurate information.
”If we see a person before the incident and today we can’t find him, then you need to worry.
”I believe it’s nearer ten now,” Bamgbose said.
He said many of people paid their medical bills themselves as they did not go to government designated hospitals for treatment.
He acknowledged that some private hospitals like treated victims free of charge, but without keeping records.
”The hospitals contributed, they treated people without asking for money. So, also some people that could afford the treatment did so themselves.
The association’s leader urged proper profiling of victims, who had been rendered homeless. This is to enable them access hotel accommodation provided by government.
He expressed fear that the chautic nature of the arrangement could short-change the government at the end of the day.
”This is the first of such incident in Ibadan. I must commend the government’s willingness and response.
”But, there is a difference between being willing and having the ability to do the needful.
”People have worked overnight without sleeping. Even, the Federal Government has taken the issue seriously, as it deployed all the security apparatus.
“Then NEMA working with the state counterpart. Everybody has collaborated but our best is still short of the word best,” Bamgbose said.
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