* urge members of the public to keep off scene

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Mohammed Abubakar Adamu has set-up a Special Investigation Team to unravel the immediate and remote cause of the unfortunate tragic explosion that occurred at Ogbese near Akure, the Ondo State Capital last weekend destroyed properties worth millions of naira.

This was contained in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Monday by the Force Public Relations Officer, FPRO, Frank Mba, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP.

According to the statement, “the team which is headed by the Commissioner of Police in charge of the Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit, Force Headquarters, Abuja, CP Maikudi A. Shehu, is made up of police officers from the Police Bomb Disposal Squad (Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit) which is a specialized arm of the Police that oversees explosives and ordinance operations of the Force including controlled detonation, safe evacuation, sweeping, assessment, analysis, intelligence and investigations touching on bombs and all forms of explosives related incidents.

” The Investigation Team will work jointly with experts from the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA) – the nation’s leading Research and Development Institution that is the sole repository of all geoscientific data”

The statement explained that the Agency has a state-of-the-art laboratory with the capacity and expertise to carry out a wide range of geo-scientific examinations including Laboratory/Forensic Examinations, Geochemical Analysis of Rocks, Minerals, Water, Sewage, Soil Samples and Site Investigations amongst others.

It added that the IGP believed that with the involvement of NGSA, the quality and integrity of investigations into the explosion would be greatly enhanced.

The IGP, however, enjoined the citizens especially those living around the scene of the incident to avoid the area so as not to tamper with the scene of an incident and the ongoing investigations.

While sympathizing with the government and people of Ondo State particularly victims that sustained injuries or lost their property as a result of the incident, the IGP called for calm and assured that the outcome of investigations would be made public immediately.