I jumped from storey building, says survivor

A survivor of the explosion which occurred in Ibadan, on Tuesday, Mr Abiola AbduIsalam, said he jumped from a storey building on Dejo Oyelese Street, Adeyi Avenue, Ibadan, where the explosion happened, to save his life.

AbduIsalam  spoke with Sunday PUNCH at one of the wards of the University College Hospital where he was receiving treatment.

Recounting his experience, he said, “If I can recollect, I was inside Harrington Hotel around the area where the explosion occurred. So, immediately I heard the bang, I had to jump from the first floor of the building where I was with my friends.

“After I had landed the on the ground while still conscious, I tried to stand up and walk but I couldn’t, and it was then I noticed I had a fracture on one of my legs.

“While alone in that state for about three minutes, my friends who had escaped through the staircase, which I couldn’t easily locate because of panic caused by the explosion, searched around and found me still conscious, and swiftly brought me to this ward.”

In another development, Aare Onakakanfo of Yoruba land, Iba Gani Adams, on Saturday, condemned the Tuesday explosion in Ibadan.

Adams urged Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, to bring the culprits responsible for the explosion to book.

Adams, in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Aderemi, described the incident as very unfortunate, and advised the government to unravel the perpetrators and bring them to book.

In another development, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Tunji Alausa, visited the University College Hospital, Ibadan, on Saturday to empathise with victims of Tuesday’s massive explosion in Ibadan.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the minister and members of UCH management, led by the Chief Medical Director, Prof. Jesse Otegbayo toured the hospital to assess the impact of the explosion.