Detailed:Authorities Yet to Ascertain Source of Suspected AGO Found in Ibadan Well
Full Update: Authorities Yet to Ascertain Source of Suspected AGO in Ibadan Well
•••Oyo Govt Takes Sample (Photo)
Oyo State Government, residents, and other stakeholders are yet to determine the source of a substance suspected to be Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), commonly called diesel, discovered inside a household well barely 48 hours after it was first noticed in Ibadan on Saturday.
Eagles Sight News gathers on Tribune Online, that the discovery has caused concern among residents, many of whom said they had been drawing water from the same well previously without encountering any unusual substance.
One resident of the affected building in Omikunle compound, Bukola Olakunle, said:
“The discovery of the substance suspected to be AGO was made on Saturday when I was trying to draw water from the well. Instead of clean water, what I discovered inside the drawer was a substance suspected to be diesel.”
She added:
“I raised the alarm, which eventually drew the attention of other people living in the neighbourhood. The security operatives were drafted to the scene. Since then, the well has been put under lock and key.”
“The most surprising aspect of it is that nobody has come up with their findings, including government representatives.”
Another resident, Fatima Gafar, expressed concern about the discovery:
“A substance that is supposed to be a by-product of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise known as petrol, being found in the well is worrying. It might have resulted from leakage in underground tanks of filling stations nearby. Only the relevant authorities can confirm this.”
The scene has since attracted attention from locals in the area. Staff of the Ministry of Environment were present at the location but declined to comment.
In a statement released on Sunday, gathered by Eagles Sight News from Punch, the Oyo State Police Command described the substance as suspected AGO:
“On September 6, around 6:50 p.m., our Yemetu Division received a tip-off about a liquid in a local well. A team led by the Divisional Police Officer visited the site and found what is believed to be diesel. Some residents had already gathered with containers, seemingly intending to collect it.”
“Armed personnel from the Yemetu Division, alongside neighbourhood watch members, have cordoned off the site. The Oyo State Ministry of Environment has been invited to assist with the safe handling and disposal of the substance.”
“Preliminary investigations suggest that the contamination may have come from a leaking Underground Storage Tank nearby.”
“The situation is under control, and the area has been secured to prevent further exposure.”
Residents of Omikunle have been urged to remain calm and avoid using the affected well until authorities complete their investigations.
Meanwhile, according to a recent report on TVC, officials from the Oyo State Ministry of Environment have arrived at the scene to take samples from the well to determine the next line of action.
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