The Oyo State Government has announced that N30 billion released by the Federal Government as part of a N50 billion intervention fund approved for the January 16, 2024, explosion in Bodija, Ibadan, has not been spent nearly two years after the incident.
The state also noted that the remaining N20 billion from the approved fund has yet to be disbursed by federal agencies, with no explanation provided for the delay.
In a statement issued on January 1, 2026, by Commissioner for Information Prince Dotun Oyelade, the government revealed that the N30 billion transferred via the Central Bank of Nigeria on November 4, 2024 remains intact in a dedicated infrastructure support account (No. 2045199879) at First Bank.
The state deliberately chose not to touch the funds pending the release of the full amount.
The statement explained that Governor Seyi Makinde promptly requested federal assistance in a letter to President Bola Tinubu dated January 19, 2024, just three days after the blast.
The governor detailed immediate actions taken by the state, including:
- Deploying earth-moving equipment for search-and-rescue operations
- Covering all medical bills for injured victims
- Providing ambulances and personnel
- Accommodating displaced residents in hotels at state expense
Makinde also outlined areas needing federal support, such as rubble clearance, building integrity tests and demolitions, victim compensation, reconstruction of Old Bodija, environmental assessments, and infrastructure upgrades.
The Federal Government approved N50 billion (half of the N100 billion requested) for reconstruction efforts.
However, only N30 billion has been released so far.Meanwhile, the Oyo State Government has independently spent N24.6 billion from its own resources on response and recovery, including N20.141 billion on infrastructure reconstruction and N4.085 billion on victim support and compensation.
The announcement comes amid political controversy, with critics questioning the handling of the funds, though the state emphasized transparency and invited public verification of the account balance.
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