From Charity Nwakaudu Abuja
The Miners Association of Nigeria (MAN) has expressed sadness over the explosion caused by illegal miners in the residential area of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
This is contained in a statement signed by its National President, Mr. Dele Ayanleke in Abuja.
The statement affirmed the association’s commitments to the continued collaboration with all tiers of government, their agencies and all stakeholders to end all forms of illegality in the solid minerals value-chain.
“On behalf of the Board of Trustees and the National Executive Council of Miners Association of Nigeria, we hereby commiserate with the Government and the people of Oyo State over the unfortunate incident of an explosion occasioned by illegally stockpiling of explosives in a residential property in a highbrow old Bodija GRA of Ibadan metropolis.”
“I sent my heartfelt condolences and sympathy to the state, direct family of victims of the act and prayed for the repose of the souls of the departed in eternal,” Ayanleke added
“Our heartfelt condolences and sympathy go to the direct victims of this dastardly act, which has resulted in colossal loss of lives of loved ones and property. While we pray for the repose of the souls of the departed in eternal bliss, it is also our prayers that God will uphold their dependents, heal the injured and restore all material losses,” he stressed.
According to the statement, the association expressed deep appreciation to the Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, for his prompt response to this emergency by facilitating immediate succour to the victims.
“We are grateful to His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for his directive to the National Emergency Management Agency, to provide all necessary reliefs to the victims,” he noted.
The association pledged support to all initiatives aimed at unraveling the perpetrators of the crime, “with the view to bringing them to book in order to serve as deterrents to other criminal elements among us, who paint operators in the solid minerals sector in a bad light.”