Debris of Bodija explosion
Nearly three years after the Bodija explosion devastated parts of Ibadan, victims are still struggling to rebuild their lives, with residents saying the more than N3 billion paid in compensation has not been enough to restore homes and livelihoods.
The Bodija Estate Residents Association (BERA) said although the government’s intervention had provided some relief, many affected families still needed additional assistance, particularly those whose homes were badly damaged or destroyed.
The association’s chairman, Dr Muyiwa Bamgbose, disclosed this in Ibadan while speaking with The Guardian on the implementation of the compensation programme.
“There are still some people who have not received the compensation for one reason or another. We are trying to mop up what I would call the first tranche because we are working and hoping that it will not be the only tranche,” Bamgbose said.
He added that more than N3 billion had so far been disbursed to victims.
“Government has helped and we appreciate the intervention, but some people are yet to receive their payments. I do not have the exact figure, but I am sure about 90 per cent of the people we identified have received theirs,” he said.
Bamgbose explained that some beneficiaries were left out of the initial list, while others were caught up in disputes over who should receive payments on behalf of deceased victims. Some families also struggled to provide the documentation required to process their claims.
He cited the case of a man who lived in the United Kingdom and died following the explosion. According to him, the man’s wife, who was reportedly devastated by his death, arranged for his remains to be taken back to the UK before obtaining the necessary death certificate.
The chairman said the government had been informed about such outstanding cases and asked to provide details of victims whose remains were recovered and returned, to enable their families to be identified and assisted.
Despite the payments, however, Bamgbose said many victims had not been able to fully recover from the financial devastation caused by the explosion.
Asked whether the compensation had adequately addressed the victims’ needs, he said: “No, in most cases, it has not. People are grateful for what they have received, but they are still hopeful that more can be done.”
He said some beneficiaries had approached the association to complain that the money they received was insufficient to complete the reconstruction of their homes.
“Somebody told us that his house had got to a point where he could not finish the house. These are houses that were destroyed, and it is not their fault. They did not plan to break down their houses,” he said.
Bamgbose appealed to the government to consider further intervention, particularly for victims whose properties were destroyed and who are still unable to rebuild.
He, however, commended the government for the compensation already paid, describing the intervention as significant, especially against the backdrop of previous disasters where victims were promised compensation but received little or nothing.
“We are in this country, and we know there are governments that have collected compensation in the past that have not done anything for the people. That we are at least able to get something, that’s a plus,” he said, adding: “It is just that we want the government to have that understanding that there can still be more help. It will be appreciated. It will go down in history as something to really be commended.”
