Bodija explosion: We’re yet to get more compensation, residents lament
Victims and families of residents, who lost property in the explosion that rocked Dejo Oyelese area of Bodija, Ibadan, have said they are yet to get additional compensation from the
Victims and families of residents, who lost property in the explosion that rocked Dejo Oyelese area of Bodija, Ibadan, have said they are yet to get additional compensation from the state government.
The call for more compensation came following a revelation that the Federal Government gave the state N30 billion on account of the incident.
The amount, which was initially denied, was later said to be locked up in a bank, by the state government, saying it was awaiting the release of the balance of N20 billion to complete a total of N50 billion approved by the Federal Government for the state on account of the incident.
The air of uncertainty surrounding the revelation of the fund led to soft agitations by many of the affected residents and people of the state.
The issue of the released fund became a subject of political discuss involving a former governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, who revealed that N50 billion was released by the Federal Government to support the victims.
But the state government said only N30 billion was released, adding that the said sum was still intact in the bank as it awaited the release of the remaining N20 billion.
The Chairman, Bodija Estate Residents Association (BERA), Dr Muyiwa Bamgbose, speaking at a thanksgiving service to commemorate the second year anniversary of the incident in January, had said the victims showed understanding with the state government when the initial value and cost of property lost by affected individuals were sent to the government for the purpose of facilitating compensation, but it was agreed that the value be drastically reduced for affected residents due to paucity of funds.
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However, there was a change in the request upon the revelation of the amount, with the BERA chairman appealing to Governor Seyi Makinde not to return the N30 billion to the Federal Government, but use it to pay more compensation to the residents, who lost properties.
Contacted by The Nation on the level of things on the demand, the BERA chairman said although the association had written to the state government, requesting for a meeting on how to review the compensation paid in a bid to paying additional compensation from the N30 billion pending when the Federal Government would pay the N20 billion balance.
He said the association was already concluding arrangement on how to escalate the matter, to attract the attention of government to their plight.
Bamgbose, appealing to the residents, particularly the victims, thanked the government for the support so far, but said the people whose costs of compensation were drastically reduced due to paucity of funds at the time of the incident should be positively considered, now that more money is available for use by the state government.
The Nation reports that the explosion rocked Dejo Oyelese area of the estate on January 16, 2024 leaving in its trail, the death of five persons. Several others were injured and property worth hundreds of millions of Naira destroyed.
