:format(webp)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/grupoclarin/6QRRE7GX2VCB7KVYFDNZHOCKJQ.jpg "A powerful explosion causes 2 deaths and 77 injuries in a city in southern Nigeria")
ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Two people were killed and 77 others were injured Tuesday night in a powerful explosion that shook more than a dozen buildings in one of Nigeria’s largest cities, the governor said Wednesday, as rescuers They were looking for missing people in the rubble.
Residents in Ibadan, in the southwestern state of Oyo, heard a loud explosion at around 7:45 p.m., causing panic and causing many to flee their homes. On Wednesday morning, security forces had the area cordoned off while medical personnel and ambulances were on standby as rescue efforts intensified.
Preliminary investigators showed that the detonation was caused by explosives stored to be used in illegal mining, Oyo Governor Seyi Makinde told reporters after visiting the area of the incident in Bodija, Ibadan city.
“We have already mobilized emergency teams and all relevant agencies in Oyo State to carry out extensive search and rescue operations,” added Makinde, who described the damage as “devastating.”
Illegal mining in Nigeria, a mineral-rich country, is common and is a major concern for authorities. However, it mostly occurs in remote areas where arrests are difficult to make and where security protocols are rarely followed.
It was unclear who was storing the explosives and no arrests were announced.
“The investigations are ongoing and all culprits will be prosecuted,” said the governor.
Most of the 77 injured have already been discharged, said the president, who promised to cover the medical bills of those still hospitalized and provide temporary accommodation to those whose homes were affected.