The Pan Yoruba Socio-Political organization, Afenifere, says many questions are begging for answers over the circumstances surrounding the explosion that rocked two communities in Akure, Ondo State.
Afenifere in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, said an inquiry must be launched into the matter to unravel the cause of the explosion as well those involved in the movement of explosives through the state.
According to the group, inquiries into several explosions recorded within southwest states were yet to see the light of the day, hence the need to investigate the Ondo explosion.
The statement read, “Afenifere expresses our heartfelt sympathy with the government and people of Ondo State over the explosion which occurred on Akure-Owo road early this morning.
“All accounts so far indicate that the explosion emanated from a vehicle carrying explosives through the state”.
“Though the identities of the movers are not yet known, the police had claimed they were escorting the ordinances (bombs) when they noticed some challenge”.
”While we have nothing to contradict the stated accounts yet, we demand an inquiry into this disaster in accordance with the Ordinance and Firearm Acts, to determine the type of ordinances that exploded.”
“The inquiry should ascertain the following: The identities of those transporting the ordinances, the origin of the ordinances, who assigned the escorting policemen, under what circumstances and where was the destination of the Improvised Explosive Devices.
“While we wait for answers, we must express our displeasure over the rate of explosions in Yorubaland in recent times.
First was the blast in Ekiti State in early February with investigation blaming it on human error, this was followed by the massive explosion in Abule Ado in Lagos, which was attributed to some spurious pipeline explosion. We rejected that excuse because the long-range impacts of that explosion could not have come from the pipeline explosion.”
”To date, we do not know the owners of the articulated vehicles found on the scene of the Lagos explosion, while the number of casualties and level of suggested damage done to the Catholic-owned Bethlehem School indicates deliberate targeting.”
“While we wait to know the level of casualties in the latest incident in Ondo, we appeal to our people to be very careful in these perilous times.”
