A popular hotel in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, BON Hotel Nest has confirmed the death of its manager identified as Tunde Solomon after he suffered a heart attack following the explosion that rocked the metropolis on Tuesday night.
This was confirmed in a press statement issued by the hotel management via its Instagram page, stating that Mr Solomon died on Wednesday.
It said that Mr Solomon’s death was believed to have been caused by the deadly explosion which happened on Tuesday night.
The statement reads: “We regret to inform you of the sudden passing of our beloved Operations Manager, Mr. Tunde Solomon. Mr. Solomon suffered a heart attack on the 17th of January 2024 and it is believed that was as a consequence of the explosion which occurred on the 16th of January 2024 at Bodija.
“Mr. Tunde Solomon was vastly experienced member of staff with more than 25 years in the industry. His commitment to his role and his contributions to the growth of BON Hotel Nest Ibadan and the BON group in general during his tenure were invaluable. His loss leaves a void that will be deeply felt by all who had the privilege of working alongside him.”
“We extend our heartfelt condolences to Mr. Solomon’s family during this difficult time,” the statement added.
On Tuesday night, a loud bang was heard almost across Ibadan which led to the destruction of houses and lives.
The incident was caused by explosives stored by illegal miners occupying a house in the Bodija area of the city, according to the state governor, Mr Seyi Makinde.
SaharaReporters also reported how the death toll in the deadly incident increased to five as the state government recovered two more lifeless bodies from the scene of the incident on Thursday morning.
This was revealed by Fatai Owoseni, the special adviser on security matters to Governor Makinde.
The victims of the incident who spoke to SaharaReporters on Wednesday described their losses as unquantifiable.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) also confirmed that over 20 houses and places of residence were affected by the blast