Anti-Corruption Group Petitions EFCC Over Oyo State’s N30bn Explosion Fund

The Human and Environmental Development Agenda has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to investigate the management of N30bn released by the Federal Government to Oyo State following the January 2024 Bodija explosion in Ibadan.

In a petition dated January 5, 2026, HEDA questioned the status of the fund, which was intended for victim compensation, reconstruction, and emergency relief. The group cited concerns that only about N4.5bn had reportedly been applied to support victims, leaving the larger portion of the intervention unaccounted for.

The controversy entered public discourse after former Ekiti Governor Ayodele Fayose alleged during a televised interview that N50bn had been released to Oyo State. The state government later clarified it received N30bn, which it stated remained untouched pending the balance.

Victims of the explosion have since called for the release of the N30bn, describing earlier support as inadequate.

In response, Oyo State Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Dotun Oyelade, maintained that the government’s position on the fund remains unchanged. He stated that N4.085bn had been disbursed to victims and that the state had spent over N24.6bn from its own resources on recovery efforts in the Bodija area. Oyelade suggested the ongoing criticism may be politically motivated ahead of the 2027 elections.

HEDA’s petition, however, raised transparency concerns, noting that the funds were held in a commercial bank for over a year without public disclosure. The group called on the EFCC to ensure full accountability and investigate possible diversion, misapplication, or breach of trust.

While acknowledging constitutional immunity protecting sitting governors from prosecution, HEDA emphasized that it does not prevent investigation into the management of public resources.

The anti-corruption body has urged the EFCC to conduct a thorough and impartial probe into the receipt and use of all federal intervention funds related to the Bodija explosion.