By Chris Paul Otaigbe
Residents of the housing estates around the NNPC pipeline at Isheri Olofin area of Lagos, recently engulfed by fire, have appealed to the state government for a permanent Fire Brigade outpost in the area, to tackle promptly, any future fire incident.
For the umpteenth time, Isheri Olofin, in Egbe-Idimu Local Council Development Area of Lagos, witnessed yet another pipeline explosion leading to deaths and destruction of properties.
The December 5, 2019, incident has continued to be in the news and fearing another explosion, the residents of the surrounding Diamond and Peace Estates have cried out to government to save them from the menace of pipeline vandals in the area.
Ifeanyin Iwuoha, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of Diamond Estate said the vandalization and the accompanying explosion and fire are a constant occurrence in the area, with the December 5 explosion being the worst.
“The last time I heard and felt such an explosion was the Ikeja Army Cantonment (explosion) that happened under former President Olusegun Obasanjo… It shook my window and I could hear the violent sound of fire moving on the route of petrol spill…” He said.
According to him, he thought the end of their Estate had come. He said that was why they all ran out for safety away from”our homes.”
Soji Okeniran, is the President of the estate. He said the menace of vandals in there continues to be a source of worry to all the residents not only within their estate, but all around the estates within the axis of NNPC pipeline along the Idimu-Isheri-Igando areas of Lagos State.
“We cannot sleep with our two eyes closed because explosion can occur any moment. It is getting too much. As residents, we have reached out to government agencies concerned. We are still awaiting their response to our plight…”
The estate PRO said the time has come for the government to establish a Fire Brigade outpost in the area, so they would be ready in the event of future fire outbreaks and explosions. “Sometimes, when these fires start, we would discover that men of the fire service whose office is located at Ikotun always find it difficult to get here because of the traffic gridlock… And by the time they find their way to the affected area, the fire would have done its damage.” Said Ifeanyin.
Mrs. Patience Inalegwu of Peace Estate, which is just few meters away from the ruptured pipeline said the activities of the vandals perpetually throw their estate into a state of panic each time they come for their operations, often carried out at night. “When they come, they come armed to the teeth. What is worst, when they come in the night, the odour of naked petrol fills the air and we start to fear for our lives because we don’t know who is cooking or lighting cigarette at the time…” She said.
According to her, the nights have become their daily nightmare as they never know when the pipe vandals would come to ply their trade in the dead of the night. With tears in her eyes, she appealed to the federal government to come to the aid of the residents. She insisted that there is a connivance between some bad eggs in the security agencies and the oil thieves who have succeeded in their illicit but lucrative damage to the federal government assets.
“The fact that these people succeed most of the time without any resistance from the security agencies can only be adduced to the fact that some of the bad eggs in our security agencies across board are in league with them…: Said Inalegwu.
The pipeline explosion occurred last Thursday, December 5, 2019, near Gloryland Estate, Isheri Olofin, Egbe-Idimu Local Council Development Area of Lagos Sate.
The fire was said to have affected Diamond Estate along Isheri/Lasu-Igando Road. Some of the casualties recorded, so far, included two yet-to-be-identified persons who lost their lives during the fire incident.
Another yet-to-be-identified victim, who was said to have sustained “70-degree burns,” was taken to the Igando General Hospital, where doctors reportedly battled to save his life.
The three victims, according to KAFTANPost investigation, were having a bath in a stream in the area to cleanse themselves spiritually when the fire started and subsequently burned two of them to death.
The unfortunate victims were alleged to have been abandoned by the Pastor conducting the ritual or prayer. “When the Pastor saw the fire coming towards them with such force, he had to run away for his own dear life, leaving those two people who died unfortunately…” Said an eye witness who pleaded to remain anonymous.
