…Says Yoruba in danger, in serious doubts of Makinde’s  explanation of  cause of  explosion
… Says there strong reasons to conclude that explosion  part of planned attacks on Yoruba
 … Says Bodija blast not consistent with explosion caused by miner’s dynamites
…Says Ibadan explosion similar to March 2021 Akure blast
… Says Yoruba experiencing increased tempo of Fulani killing, destruction, raping and kidnapping
…Demands scientific investigation into explosion
……Condoles with Gov, affected families
By Our EditorÂ
The Yoruba leader and Chairman, Yoruba Self-Determination Movement, Prof. Banji Akintoye, has asserted that the Ibadan explosion was caused by a bomb, saying the bomb was a terrorist attack on the Yoruba nation.
Akintoye  predicted  that some more of such terrorist attacks would  almost certainly come.
The History professor emphasised that the  Yoruba have strong reasons to conclude that the  explosion was part of planned attacks on the Yoruba  as a people, claiming that it was  the first salvo of a new phase of heightened attacks on the people, cities, and  homeland of the Yoruba.
These were contained in an open letter to Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State,  dated January 25, 2024 and signed by Akintoye but  made available to journalists in Ibadan, by Dr. Tunde Hamzat.
He said the  Yoruba are in danger, and have been in increasing danger for a long time, in Nigeria, saying those among who are knowledgeable  about explosives said that the explosion was not consistent with an explosion caused by a miner’s store of dynamites.
According to Akintoye, the experts said that a miners’ dynamites can only be stored as packages in boxes or bags , and that a mishap with the contents of the storage can only set up a series of explosions lasting for some minutes – and cannot set up one mighty explosion that does all the terror and devastation that we have described above.
He said: ‘’Indeed, today, we are experiencing an increased tempo of Fulani killing, destruction, raping and kidnapping in our homeland, as well as infiltration of masses of Fulani Almajiri and Mujaheedin into our cities, even though a non-Fulani man (in fact a Yoruba man) is now president of Nigeria in succession to the Fulani President Buhari. And we conclude that this is proof that no Nigerian circumstance can make the Fulani give up their agenda of conquest, subjugation and seizure of homelands, and that the momentum of their agenda has become unstoppable in the context of Nigeria.
‘’Altogether, therefore, we, the  Yoruba have strong reasons for concluding that the Ibadan explosion is part of planned attacks on us as a people, indeed as the first salvo of a new phase of heightened attacks on our people, our nation, our cities, our homeland.
‘’We assert that, all things considered, the Ibadan explosion was caused by a bomb – that the bomb was a terrorist attack on our Yoruba nation, and that some more of such terrorist attacks will almost certainly come.
‘’The reported threats on our prominent leader, Dele Alake, Federal Minister of Solid Minerals, for his comment after his visit to the site of the Ibadan explosion, have greatly strengthened our conclusion on the Ibadan explosion’’.
The Yoruba leader said the people had doubts in the explanation given by the governor as the   cause of  explosion, adding that  who are knowledgeable about explosives said the this explosion is not consistent with an explosion caused by a miner’s store of dynamites.
He said: ‘’Your Excellency, we have the duty to inform you that most of us , your people have serious doubts about the immediate explanation given for the cause of this explosion – the explanation that it was caused by some miners’ improper storage of mining dynamites.
‘’Our people want to be absolutely sure about the cause of this explosion that occurred in a street of Bodija Estate and yet shook all parts of the great large city of Ibadan to its foundations, that, according to our people at various locations at that moment, sent shock waves far beyond the large city of Ibadan to distant places like Omiadio on the road to Abeokuta and Asejire on the road to Ile-Ife, that drilled a large crater many feet deep, that completely sank some houses and totally devastated many other houses, that killed seven people and wounded nearly 80 people, that sent some of our aged residents of the street and nearby streets to hospital for days, and that left all Yoruba people at home and in the Diaspora in severe shock.
‘’We are sure, Your Excellency, that you understand the misgivings and fears of your Yoruba people over this mysterious happening. The fundamental fact is that we Yoruba are in danger, and have been in increasing danger for a long time, in Nigeria.
‘’Those among us who are knowledge about explosives say that this explosion is not consistent with an explosion caused by a miner’s store of dynamites.
‘’They say that a miners’ dynamites can only be stored as packages in boxes or bags , and that a mishap with the contents of the storage can only set up a series of explosions lasting for some minutes – and cannot set up one mighty explosion that does all the terror and devastation that we have described above.
‘’It does not sound plausible, Your Excellency, that any master miner would store a large quantity of the dynamites of his profession in his home or his bedroom. And furthermore, and very importantly, what do our Oyo State Government and people know about this miner who is said to be from Mali Republic, who does considerable mining in our land with a Federal Government license, who pays his business taxes to the Federal Government only, and who, according to some of our people who have had contacts with him before, desires no contact with the Oyo State Government or the Local Government of his place of residence?
‘’And still further, Your Excellency, it is very well known that Dejo Oyelese Street off Adeyi Avenue where the explosion happened is one of the choicest parts of Bodija Estate, containing the homes of many prominent Yoruba persons – professors, retired professors, highly placed professionals, retired governors, retired senior civil servants, etc – whose houses have now been destroyed. Does this importance of Dejo Oyelese Street have anything to do with this explosion? In other words, was the explosion meant to eliminate many important Yoruba citizens at one blast, with the purpose of seriously hurting the Yoruba nation? Is this some sort of threat on us Yoruba people in Nigeria?
‘’One group of our Yoruba patriots has suggested that the explosion was caused by a big military-grade bomb, that the bomb seems to have been brought to Ibadan for use to wipe out a large number of leading Yoruba citizens gathered at a large celebration in the International Hall, University of Ibadan, at which President Tinubu was scheduled to be present, and that when President Tinubu did not attend, the owners of the bomb took it back to an inappropriate storage in a living house in nearby Bodija Estate, where some sort of mishandling caused it to detonate. Some of us may think that this suggestion is far-fetched; but do we know enough to be able to say that it is true or not true?’’
He said, ” the Ibadan explosion of this January is suspiciously similar to a mighty explosion in the Ondo State capital city of Akure on March 28, 2021, that shook Akure to its foundations and sent mighty shock waves for miles beyond Akure, and that was never seriously investigated and never seriously explained to the Yoruba public. We Yoruba people are determined this time that this Ibadan explosion will be thoroughly investigated”.
While demanding  a scientific investigation into the Bodija carnage, Akintoye said the Yoruba had  resolved to heighten vigilance to the highest degree in all parts of their  homeland.
‘’And we are resolved that our struggle to exit Nigeria is unstoppable.
For this purpose, we absolutely need to have, and we demand, a scientific investigation into the Ibadan explosion – a scientific investigation conducted by our security experts, criminal investigators and qualified academics and professionals. The importance of an investigation ordered by our State Government is that it will demonstrate to all our people that you, our elected State Governors, are taking serious and patriotic steps to defend us your people, and to allay our fears, in today’s increasingly dangerous and threatening terrain of Nigeria.
‘’It will also send a powerful message to all our people that uttermost vigilance has now become a duty for all our people in our homeland in Nigeria’’.
The Second Republic senator condoled with Makinde and the families affected by the blast.