Bodija Explosion: FG Released ₦30bn, Withheld ₦20bn — Makinde’s CPS Refutes Fayose’s ₦50bn Claim
The Oyo State Government has dismissed claims that the Federal Government released ₦50 billion to Governor Seyi Makinde following the January 2024 Bodija explosion in Ibadan, clarifying that only ₦30 billion was released while ₦20 billion was withheld.
The clarification was made by the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the governor, Mr Sulaimon Olanrewaju, in response to recent comments attributed to former Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose, who alleged that the Federal Government gave ₦50 billion to Makinde and that the governor deliberately kept quiet while allegedly saving the money for political ambitions.
Olanrewaju described Fayose’s comments as misleading, disingenuous and politically motivated, stressing that at no time did President Bola Ahmed Tinubu or the Federal Government give ₦50 billion to the Oyo State Government.
According to the CPS, the Oyo State Government formally requested ₦50 billion from the Federal Government to address the humanitarian crisis and infrastructural damage caused by the Bodija explosion, but only ₦30 billion was eventually released.
“The remaining ₦20 billion was withheld. Contrary to the false narrative being pushed, Governor Makinde did not receive ₦50 billion from the Federal Government,” Olanrewaju said.
He further stated that the funds released were handled transparently, noting that a significant portion had already been disbursed to victims of the explosion, while other allocations were directed toward reconstruction, rehabilitation and environmental restoration in the affected Bodija axis.
Olanrewaju also rejected insinuations that the governor concealed the funds, insisting that the Oyo State Government had consistently accounted for relief efforts and expenditures related to the disaster.
The January 2024 Bodija explosion, which occurred along Adeyi Avenue in Ibadan, claimed several lives and destroyed properties worth billions of naira, prompting widespread calls for federal intervention and relief support.
The funding controversy has since generated political reactions, with some Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) groups in Oyo State condemning Fayose’s claims and challenging him to provide documentary evidence of an alleged ₦50 billion disbursement.
As debates continue, the Oyo State Government maintains that the issue should not be politicised, emphasising that transparency and accountability remain central to its handling of post-explosion relief and reconstruction efforts.