…As govt. investigates Ugbor Road gas explosion

The Edo State Government has appointed a five-man administrative panel of inquiry headed by Justice J. O. Olubor to unravel the immediate and remote causes of the death of one David Okinabo, which occurred on Tuesday, February 6, and which consequently led to a clash between some Police officers and youths in Upper Igun area in Oredo Local Government Area of the state.

Besides, another panel to investigate a gas explosion in Ugbor Road axis of Benin City, has also been constituted.

In a statement on Friday, the Secretary to the State Government, Osarodion Ogie, Esq., explained that the administrative panel of inquiry on the clash between police officers and youths in Upper Igun will be chaired by Hon. Justice J. O. Olubor. Other members of the panel include, “former Deputy Commissioner of Police, Joseph Okpoloa (Rtd); Osagie Obayuwana, Esq.; Retired Colonel David Imuse and Mr. Dupe Ojo.

“The panel will among other things, examine the circumstances that led to the fatal clash between some men of the Mobile Police and angry youths at Upper Igun area in Benin City, Edo State capital. It will establish the number of persons who died or sustained injuries during the clash and the culpability of any person or group in bearing responsibility for the incident,” he said.

The state government also constituted a five-man administrative panel of inquiry, but this time, to unravel the immediate and remote cause of a gas explosion in the Ugbor road axis of Benin City, the Edo State capital.

According to the SSG, the panel is to “determine if the requisite statutory and regulatory conditions precedent were complied with in the siting, construction and operation of the said gas facility leading up to the reported explosion.”

Members of the panel include a Professor of Thermo-Fluid Mechanics, Prof. Asalor James; Professor of Environmental Sciences, Prof. Anthony Ogbeibu; Eng. John Odorido; Mrs. Oduwa Ajese, and a representative of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR).

Ogie said that the panel would also establish the full extent of death(s) and or injury arising from the incident and the effectiveness or otherwise of the response of the Emergency Response Law Enforcement Agencies and Health Service providers to the incident and treatment of victims.

He said the panel would also “establish the culpability of any person, group, corporation or entity in bearing responsibility for the incident. They are to also make recommendations to government on measures to be taken to avoid a repetition of similar tragic incident in future.”