By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan
A Malian miner, Alhaji Sawane Youssouf has declared that he has no connection whatsoever, with the explosion that rocked Bodija area of Ibadan in January this year.
The Malian miner expressed this in a statement he personally signed, titled, “Bodija Explosion: My Own Side Of The Story“, dated January 31, 2024 made available to journalists in Ibadan.
Alhaji Youssouf who said he was never an illegal miner and was legally involved in mining activities in Oyo State, in accordance with the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution, also stated that he is not the owner of the building and the explosives that caused the devastating explosion.
He stressed further in the statement that ” he neither owned, nor rented the said building” at Bodija and was not the owner of the explosives stockpiled and warehoused in the building and which led to the explosion.
” While we are still mourning the dead and counting our losses, I felt the need to, once again, state my own side of the story to clear the mind of the public about my alleged involvement in the sad occurrence”, he said.
The Malian miner added, “Insinuations are rife that I am the owner of the Ground Zero Building where the explosives that led to the explosion were stockpiled and warehoused, prior to the incident”
” It is against the above that I categorically state and declare here again now that I am not the owner of the building and the explosives in question. Though I live in Ibadan, I have never rented or owned a house at Dejo Oyelese Avenue, Bodija Ibadan, where the incident happened,”
Alhaji Youssouf maintained ” I also don’t have anything to do with the explosives that led to the huge loss of human lives and the collateral destruction of property at the scene of the incident.”
Emphasizing “While it is true that l am into mining in Oyo State, all my activities are legal, in accordance with the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution”, the Malian miner called on Oyo State government, security agencies and other authorities to look further in the course of investigating the explosion”.
Alhaji Youssouf tasked the Oyo State Government, security agencies and other appropriate authorities to beam their searchlight further to reveal the identity of the real owners of the building and the explosives that led to the explosion.
“Meanwhile, I am readily available, whenever I am needed, to help the security agencies in the course of further investigation into the sad incident. Many innocent souls perished, while several buildings and other property were totally destroyed and lost to the sad occurrence.May God rest the souls of the dead and grant the victims and the Oyo State Government the serenity to bear the loss”
New Nigerian recalled that Gov Seyi Makinde had, following the explosion at Dejo Oyelese Close said preliminary investigation showed that Ground Zero, the building where the explosives were stockpiled, belonged to illegal foreign miners.
