Nigeria’s Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo on Tuesday visited the scene of an explosion in Kano, where some lives were lost and people injured.
An explosion at a welder’s workshop occurred around 10am in Sabon Gari, Kano, killing nine persons, resulting in injury to six pupils in a nearby school.
Prof. Osinbajo, who was accompanied by Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State, his deputy, Nasir Gawuna; Senator Kabir Gaya, and leader of the House of Representatives, Alhassan Doguwa, said his visit was to find out what happened and to commiserate with the families of those who lost their lives and the children that were injured.
“We are told that this was a blast coming from the gas cylinder and that the welder and several others, about nine in all died as a result of this incident and some children in the school across were injured.
‘This is very sad and very unfortunate development. We are here to say how deeply regrettable this incident is and to pray that the Lord God Almighty will comfort the families of all of those who have lost their lives and to say that the peace and security of all individuals and all residents in our states are the responsibility of all.”
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Governor Ganduje said that the Kano State government would ensure that similar workshops would not be located in residential areas “because it is not appropriate for the welders to be among high population like this.”
Ganduje said that the Environmental Inspectorate Division in Kano State would go round and find out where such workshops are located and enforce rules and regulations guiding them.
He commended the Vice President for visiting the state few hours after the incident occurred.
Gas cylinder explosion
According to the Commissioner of Police, Kano State, Ismaila Dikko, the Explosive Ordinance Disposal, EOD, experts who came to the scene discovered that the blast was caused by a gas cylinder where the welder, whose name was given as Vincent Ejike, had his workshop.
“Inside the building there are so many chemicals that we recovered,” Dikko said, adding that investigation was ongoing.
“But it is a gas cylinder explosion; not bomb blast”, the police boss insisted.
Dikko also said that the injuries sustained by the six children were not so serious.
Emmanuel Ukoh
