Ondo Explosion: Police chief condoles with victims, orders investigation, calls for calm

Molly Kilete, Abuja

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, has set up a special investigative team to unravel the circumstances surrounding the explosion at Ogbese near Akure last Friday.

Mr Adamu has also commiserated with the government and people of Ondo State particularly victims that sustained injuries or lost their property as a result of the incident.

Related: Tension in Ondo as 20 injured, property destroyed in explosion

The IGP has called for calm and assured that the outcome of investigations will be made public.

The investigation team, headed by the Commissioner of Police in charge of the Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit, Force Headquarters, Abuja, CP Maikudi A Shehu, has members from the Police Bomb Disposal Squad (Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit) which is a specialised arm of the police that oversees explosives and ordinance operations of the Nigeria Police Force, including controlled detonation, safe evacuation, sweeping, assessment, analysis, intelligence and investigations touching on bombs and all forms of explosives related incidents.

The IGP made this known in a statement signed by the force public relations officer Frank Mba.

The statement reads:

“The Inspector-General of Police, IGP M.A Adamu, has set-up a Special Investigation Team to unravel the immediate and remote cause of the unfortunate tragic explosion that occurred at Ogbese near Akure, the Ondo State Capital on Friday, March 27th.

“The Team which is headed by the Commissioner of Police in charge of the Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit, Force Headquarters, Abuja, CP Maikudi A. Shehu, is made up of police officers from the Police Bomb Disposal Squad (Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit) which is a specialized arm of the Police that oversees explosives and ordinance operations of the Force including controlled detonation, safe evacuation, sweeping, assessment, analysis, intelligence and investigations touching on bombs and all forms of explosives related incidents.

“The Investigation Team will work jointly with experts from the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA) – the nation’s leading Research and Development Institution that is the sole repository of all geo-scientific data.

“The Agency has a state-of-the-art laboratory with the capacity and expertise to carry out a wide range of geo-scientific examinations including Laboratory/Forensic Examinations, Geochemical Analysis of Rocks, Minerals, Water, Sewage, Soil Samples and Site Investigations amongst others. The IGP hopes that with the involvement of NGSA, the quality and integrity of investigations into the explosion will be greatly enhanced.

“The IGP, however, enjoins the citizens especially those living around the scene of the incident to avoid the area so as not to tamper with the scene of the incident and the ongoing investigations.

“Meanwhile, the IGP sympathizes with the government and people of Ondo State particularly victims that sustained injuries or lost their property as a result of the incident. He calls for calm and assures that the outcome of investigations will be made public.”