The explosion in the Bodija area of Ibadan on Tuesday evening destroyed some office buildings and other structures within the State Secretariat Complex, Agodi.

The explosion severely impacted some ministries and parastatals within the secretariat on Wednesday, including the water corporation building, which houses the revenue building and the newly-built Local Government Service Commission building.

Others were the local Government Staff Training School, some parts of the Governor’s Office, the State Secretariat Central Mosque and the Secretariat Chapel.

There were shattered window glasses and doors, collapsed ceilings and some pieces of office equipment, such as computer systems, littering the offices.

Some civil servants of the affected offices were also seen in front of their offices discussing the incident, which they described as devastating.

A civil servant, identified as Jide, said the blast was unfortunate but gave glory to God that it happened after the close of work.

He said it would have been worse if it had happened during work hours, saying many staff members would have been trapped.

Meanwhile, the Oyo government has set up an Emergency Situation Room for the Bodija explosion, led by Temitope Alonge, a former chief medical director of University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan.

The situation room is responsible for coordinating the ongoing response to the incident.

As of the time of filing this report, rescue operations were ongoing at the blast scene, with State Emergency Management Agency (OSEMA) officials on the ground.

In addition, Red Cross and National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) officials were observed rendering humanitarian services. 

(NAN)