The recent explosion in Ibadan, Nigeria has been linked to an individual named Sawane Youssouf, a Malian national involved in mining operations in the Oke-Ogun area of Oyo State.
An anonymous source revealed that Youssouf had been stockpiling explosives in a house in Bodija for years. It is unclear whether he owned or rented the property. The source also mentioned that Youssouf had incorporated a company called SDYB International Company Nigeria Limited in 2004, with three out of the four directors being from Mali. The source further stated that Youssouf employed several Malian boys in the Bodija area, and there were concerns that they might also have explosives in their rented accommodations.
The source criticized the government and community for failing to detect the stockpiling of explosives in a residential area close to the Government Secretariat. They also alleged that Youssouf had used security operatives to move his explosives, suggesting possible complicity. The explosion had devastating effects, flattening everything within a 100-meter radius.
Surrounding houses were found to contain various documents related to petitions against Youssouf, primarily regarding cheating and non-payment of dues to mining host communities in Iwajowa Local Government Area. The source expressed frustration that important evidence was being lost as people took the documents from the scene. They raised questions about the responsibility of the Landlords Association in Adeyi, New Bodija, as well as the lack of preparedness for emergency situations and intelligence gathering by security agencies.
