The death toll from the explosion, which rocked Dejo Oyelese Street in Bodija, Ibadan, on Tuesday night, has risen to five.
Special adviser on security matters to Oyo State Governor, Fatai Owoseni, disclosed this on Thursday morning while speaking during an interview monitored on Arise News.
The explosion, which the state government said was caused by explosives stored by illegal miners who lived in the area, had left many injured with several houses, properties and cars worth millions of naira destroyed.
Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, had earlier in a press briefing on Wednesday, identified the culprit promising justice for the victims.
Mr Owoseni, giving an update on the casualties, said two more dead bodies have been recovered from the scene on Thursday morning.
“As of yesterday, the governor indicated we had 3 dead persons, 77 wounded. But just before we started this interview, the security operatives in the area had sent me a text to let me know that two more dead bodies were recovered this morning,” he said.
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Speaking on how illegal miners were able to store explosives in the area, Mr Owoseni said the security can’t know without credible intelligence.
‘‘Let me first say that the notion that Nigerians and everyone has that the security people must know everything is a bit right, but at the same time wrong. The concept and philosophy guiding security work, especially policing is that the people are the police and the police are the people. Without credible intelligence, the security people would not know anything,” he added.
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