A devastating explosion has rocked Ondo State leaving as many as 50 buildings destroyed and a lot of persons severely injured.
The explosion occurred along Akure-Owo road in Ilu Abo town, Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State.
The explosion, which was said to have occurred about 1am on Saturday, cut the expressway into two.
The blast was said to have occurred when a truck conveying explosives to a quarry in another state exploded at the airport junction area of Akure.
Addressing journalists at the scene of the incident, Undie Adie, Ondo commissioner of police, said the explosives were duly escorted by men of the police ordnance department, but that the vehicle conveying the items developed a fault.
He said they noticed smoke was coming out of the engine of the vehicle which later resulted in a fire setting off the explosives.
Rotimi Akeredolu, governor of the state, also visited the site of the explosion.
”I have been briefed by the security chiefs that in the early hours of Saturday March 28th, a vehicle in a convoy transporting explosives to a storage facility in a neighbouring state developed a fault while in transit along the Akure Owo Road about 2km from the Akure Airport,” he said while addressing journalists.
”Presently, efforts are being made to ascertain if there are casualties. Following my visit to the scene, I have directed that the area be cordoned off to allow the explosive ordnance department/bomb squad to extricate the vehicle buried underground because it is unclear if there are still explosives that are yet to be detonated . Everything is under control and I will be updating the public on any new developments.”
On March 15, an explosion in Abule Ado area of Lagos led to the death of 22 people and the destruction of many houses.dence.”.