As Lagos plans low-key commemoration
ELEVEN years after the Ikeja Cantonment bomb
blasts that led to the death of over 1000
Nigerians with 12000 rendered homeless,
victims of the disaster are still awaiting a
compensation package promised by the
Federal Government.
It was gathered that the Federal Government
had earlier given N500,000 each, as a temporal
relief package to parents who lost a child or
children and those whose bodies were
recovered, while N250, 000 each were given to
parents who could not find their children, with
a promise to pay actual compensation after 10
years.
As of press time, the victims are still waiting for
the compensation without any positive
response from Federal Government’s agents,
who have continued to keep mum over the
issue.
Chairman of the Association of the affected
victims, Mr. Olaniran Majekodunni, could not be
reached at press time but the secretary, Mr.
John Adebayo Orire, who lost his son in the
incident, decried the Federal Government’s
lackadaisical attitude towards the victims,
saying, “we are staging a peaceful protest
during the 11th anniversary.”
He continued: “It is saddening that 11 years
after, the Federal Government has been playing
games with us on the issue of compensation.
Though, we are not saying that what they are
giving us could actually compensate the lives
that were lost, but at least it would go a long
way in healing some of the wounds.”“We are already planning a peaceful
demonstration against Federal Government’s
failure to fulfill its compensation promise to the
victims. Come January 27, 2013, we are
carrying placards in protest.
“We have written to federal government,
through our lawyer, Femi Falana, on several
occasions without hearing from any of their
agents. We are lost, but will see to its logical
conclusion.”
Lagos plans low-key commemoration
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola,
who recently gave 70 verified families the sum
of N250,000.00 each as compensation, had in
2012 set up a 10-man anniversary committee
to ensure proper and successful
commemoration of the anniversary.
Led by the Commissioner for Works and
Infrastructure, Engr. Obafemi Hamzat, the
members include Commissioner for Special
Duties, Dr Wale Ahmed; Commissioner for
Transportation, Mr. Kayode Opeifa;
Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr.
Lateef Ibirogba and chairman of Ejigbo Local
Council Development Area, Mr. Kehinde
Bamigbetan, as well as Permanent Secretaries
of the four ministries.
The state government is however planning a
low key 11th anniversary, come next Sunday,
January 27.
Indeed, January 27, 2002 was horrendous in
the history of Lagos and the entire nation. The
Ikeja military cantonment was a large military
cantonment and storage area in the city of
Lagos, situated north of the city centre near the
districts of Isolo and Onigbongo.
The base was being used to store a large
quantity of “high calibre bombs” and other
sundry explosives. On the afternoon of January
27, a fire broke out in a street market being
held next to the base, which was also home to
the families of soldiers. At around 6 pm the fire
apparently spread to the base’s main munitions
store, causing an enormous explosion. The
blast killed many of the base staff and their
families and immediately destroyed several
nearby streets, flying debris starting numerous
fires further away.
Also thrown up by the blast were thousands of
unexploded military munitions, which fell in a
rain of exploding shells, grenades and bullets
casting further destruction across most of the
northern section of the city. Thousands of
people from Ikeja and neighbouring districts,
seeing explosions and fires breaking out, fled
their houses in an attempt to leave the affected
areas. As the streets became more and more
crowded, explosions amid the fleeing crowds
from shells falling from the initial explosion
created panic.
A stampede developed as panicking people
fled in all directions, trampling those who fell
underfoot. It was also reported that people
were jumping from burning high-rise buildings
and being killed in desperate attempts to cross
the busy Ikeja dual carriageway.
In far away Ejigbo area, most people who ran
towards Oke-Afa, drowned in the canal. Most of
them, oblivious of quick sand in the canal,
drowned as they fell over one another. Local
divers did their best to rescue the unfortunate
victims but many died before they could get
help.
The final death toll is hard to compute,
although the Red Cross claimed that at least
1,000 bodies were recovered and a number of
people were reported missing and never
found. In addition to the dead, at least 5,000
people were injured in the disaster and over
12,000 left homeless, with entire districts of the
city gutted. About 20,000 people fled the city
on the night of the explosion, and the
survivors gradually returned over the course of
the weeks. source :www.vanguardngr.com/2013/01/11-years-after-ikeja-bomb-blast-victims-cry-for-compensation/