The probe
comes after an investigating team of geo-physicists from Obafemi Awolowo
University debunked the police explanation for the blast.
The Inspector
General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has set-up a special investigation team to
unravel the immediate and remote cause of the explosion that occurred at Ogbese
near Akure, the Ondo State capital early on Saturday 28 March.
Contrary to
the police explanation that the explosion was caused by a dynamite-loaded truck
which exploded, the Ife team said the explosion came from a falling meteorite
from an asteroid belt.
The team led
by Professor Adekunle Abraham Adepelumi said:
“The field
evidence point to a conclusion that a meteoric from an asteroid belt that
travels at a great speed from space impacted the location at an angle of 43
degrees created an ejecta at South-Western part. No evidence of buried vehicle,
buried ordinance or IED was found”,
According to
the Force Headquarters spokesman, Frank Mba, the new probe is headed by the
Commissioner of Police in charge of the Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit,
Force Headquarters, Abuja, CP Maikudi A. Shehu.
Members
include police officers from the Police Bomb Disposal Squad (Explosive
Ordinance Disposal Unit).
The
specialised arm of the Police 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.
Mba said 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 geo-scientific data.
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. The IGP hopes that with the
involvement of NGSA, the quality and integrity of investigations into the
explosion will be greatly enhanced.
IGP Adamu
enjoined people living around the scene of the incident to avoid the area so as
not to tamper with evidence that could help investigations.
The Ife team
of geo-physicists, led by Professor Adekunle Abraham Adepelumi carried out a
detailed insitu analysis of the impact site and surroundings on Sunday. The
team has issued a preliminary report.
The team
found a circular impact crater with 21m diameter and 7.8m depth which suggests
a natural phenomenal.
“Water was
found oozing out from the edges of the crater.
“A
preliminary insitu vibration, noise, seismicity, water analysis, radioactivity
studies, rock and soil investigation were carried out.
“Our findings
suggest that the impact of the blasting covers 1km radius of the surroundings
of the crater. No evidence of fire or burning of anything was found within the
vicinity. No evidence of radioactivity radiation was found within the crater
and immediate vicinity.
“The field
evidence point to a conclusion that A METEORIC FROM AN ASTEROID BELT THAT
TRAVELS AT A GREAT SPEED FROM SPACE IMPACTED THE LOCATION AT AN ANGLE OF 43
degrees created an ejecta at South-Western part. No evidence of buried vehicle,
buried ordinance or IED was found.
“However,
crack opening that vary in thickness from 3mm to 4metres occurs on the wall of
most of the buildings but not at the base of the buildings.
“Also,
foreign rocks and strange metallic objects were found within the crater.
“Most of the
destruction occurs on top and roof/ceilings of the buildings. Circular holes
that measures between 1 to 2 inches were also created and observed on the
screens of at least eight (8) cars that were parked nearby about 100m from the
impact site.
“From our
Earthquake and Space Weather Laboratory, the scientific evidence that we
obtained this morning between 12 midnight and 2am corroborate the field
observations of Meteoric from the Asteroid belt impacted the area”.
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