The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) certificate of the mining business implicated in the explosion that happened in the Bodija region of Oyo State on Tuesday, January 16, revealed foreign names as proprietors, according to Governor Seyi Makinde. In an interview with Channels TV, the governor revealed this information, including details on the continuing inquiries into the unfortunate event.

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The death toll from the explosion has risen to three, as one more victim succumbed to injuries in a hospital on Wednesday, January 17. Governor Makinde provided updates on the rescue efforts, stating, “We recovered one individual alive today (Wednesday) under the rubble. 60 of the 77 people hospitalized have been discharged.”

Regarding the mining company’s ownership details, Makinde affirmed that preliminary investigations had uncovered foreign names on the CAC documents related to the company. He emphasized the early stages of the investigation and assured transparency in the process, stating, “We’ve done a few fact-finding on the company involved, and yes, there are indeed some foreign names on the CAC documents of the company involved, but these are still early days. We don’t have anything to cover.”

Governor Makinde identified the incident as linked to illegal mining activities, clarifying that it did not have connections to banditry or insurgency. He affirmed the commitment of his administration to uncovering the truth and emphasized the need for the people’s trust.

The governor further announced plans to seek presidential approval for miners to store explosives under military supervision. He pledged to sign an executive order in the coming days to enforce stricter regulations and enhance safety measures in mining operations.