Officials in Nigeria reported a casualty increase this week, bringing the death toll to five following an explosion in Idaban, the capital of Oyo state in the southwest. Earlier information had indicated two fatalities and around 80 people were injured. Local authorities are treating this as a developing incident and have urged calm as rescue teams continue to work on the scene.
During a press briefing, the governor’s private security adviser, Fatai Owoseni, noted that the rescue operation remains ongoing. He explained that the latest updates show two additional bodies had been recovered after authorities had already confirmed three victims the previous day. The statement underscored the commitment of security forces and medical personnel to identify all victims and to ensure a thorough search of the affected area, with ongoing coordination among agencies involved in the response.
Initial reports from the state government indicate that the explosion occurred after explosives stored by illegal miners in the vicinity were compromised. The blast caused widespread damage, destroying numerous homes, vehicles, and other properties. He added that the explosive ordnance disposal unit is gathering information to identify every person directly or indirectly connected to the incident, with a view to bringing them to justice. This effort is part of a broader push to understand how the stored explosives were left unsecured and to prevent a recurrence in the community.
In related remarks, Governor Seyi Makinde visited the victims and spoke about accountability, asserting that the perpetrators of what he called a savage act would face justice. The Nigerian Army, however, indicated that the explosion is not the work of terrorists, signaling a focus on criminal gangs involved in illegal mining and explosive storage rather than any organized terrorist operation. Makinde also announced that the costs of treatment for the injured would be covered by the authorities and that temporary shelter would be provided to residents who lost their homes while a longer-term solution is sought for the community’s safety and recovery.