Governor Bassey Otu has visited the site of a gas fire explosion in Edibe Edibe, Calabar South, describing the incident as “shocking” and assuring victims of immediate government intervention.
The governor assessed the damage at the scene, lamenting the scale of destruction caused by the explosion, noting that both lives and property were affected.
“What I’ve seen here is shocking. It’s a huge, huge damage,” Otu said.
He expressed concern over the siting of such facilities within residential areas, stressing the need for stricter safety measures to prevent future occurrences.
“I know very well this kind of facility should not be in a residential area, but unfortunately this one is here. I believe that steps must be taken to prevent this kind of occurrence in the future,” he stated.
Several victims are receiving treatment in hospitals, while many homes have been destroyed or severely damaged. The state government will act swiftly to support affected residents.
“We have several casualties in the hospital and people’s houses have been damaged. Government is going to act quickly,” he said.
The governor announced free medical treatment for all victims and consideration for compensation for those who suffered losses. “We will take care of them. We are providing free medical treatment for those affected and will also look into compensation to help them return to their normal lives as quickly as possible,” Otu assured.
