odija Explosion: FG’s N30bn Intervention Fund Yet to Be Utilised, N20bn Balance Still Withheld — Oyo Govt

• says state has spent N24.6bn of its own funds, urges full release of approved N50bn

The Oyo State Government has disclosed that the N30 billion released by the Federal Government as part of the intervention fund approved for the January 2024 Bodija explosion in Ibadan remains unused nearly two years after the incident.

The state government also revealed that the Federal Government is yet to release the outstanding N20 billion balance from the N50 billion approved to support the reconstruction of Old Bodija and surrounding communities affected by the January 16, 2024 explosion.

This was contained in a press statement jointly signed on Thursday by the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Prof. Musibau Babatunde, and the Commissioner for Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade. The statement clarified that the entire N30 billion currently sits untouched in the Oyo State Government Infrastructure Support Account.

According to the statement, the state deliberately refrained from accessing the released funds because the remaining N20 billion approved by the Federal Government has been withheld by relevant federal agencies without any official explanation.

The commissioners recalled that following the tragic explosion, Governor Seyi Makinde formally wrote to President Bola Tinubu on January 19, 2024, requesting financial intervention to manage the emergency and its aftermath.

They noted that the governor’s request outlined immediate actions already taken by the state, including search-and-rescue operations using heavy equipment, full medical care for injured victims, deployment of ambulances and medical personnel, and provision of temporary accommodation for displaced residents—all funded by the state government.

The statement added that the governor also requested federal support for debris clearance, integrity tests and demolition of unsafe buildings, compensation for affected property owners, reconstruction of Old Bodija and its environs, environmental impact assessments, logistics, and critical infrastructural development.

While the state estimated the total intervention cost at N100 billion, the President approved N50 billion for the project, described as “Support for the reconstruction of Old Bodija and environs after the Bodija explosion.”

Following the approval, an infrastructure support account was opened with First Bank of Nigeria. Of the approved sum, N30 billion was released through the Central Bank of Nigeria on November 4, 2024, while the balance of N20 billion remains unpaid.

The Oyo State Government stressed that as of December 31, 2025, the N30 billion remains untouched, adding that interested members of the public can verify the claim with the bank. It urged the Federal Government to release the outstanding balance to enable seamless and comprehensive execution of the reconstruction programme.