Ogun: Contractor discovers 24 corpses under Ota Bridge
08.09.2009
Sunday, August 9, 2009

A contractor discovered, at least, 24 corpses under the hitherto abandoned Sango-Ota Flyover when it returned to site in June.

http://odili.net/news/source/2009/aug/9/209.html

Deputy Director of Highways, South-west, in the Federal Ministry of Works, Housing and Urban Development, Mr. Robert Agwusiobu, disclosed this to newsmen at Sango-Ota, Ogun State, yesterday.

Agwusiobu was on the inspection team of the House of Representatives Committee on Works, led by the Speaker, Mr. Dimeji Bankole.

“Where we are standing on this ramp was used as a graveyard. Over 24 corpses were removed from this place. In fact, on daily basis, should somebody drop dead in the market, they come and dump the corpses here, so we are not talking of only refuse.

“Today is Saturday, any other day, any other weekend, you cannot pass here,” Agwusiobu said.

He lamented that the discovery was alarming and added that there was need for security to be beefed up in the area. “That’s what we are soliciting from the Speaker.”.

The Federal Ministry of Works official further said: “Now they don’t drop corpses here again. But let’s assume we stop work here, it will revert back to burial ground again.”

The Federal Director said work on site would speed up “definitely after the rains and latest January we will get through with this,” he assured.

Earlier, the Speaker had allayed the fears that variation in the cost of the road project would delay work on site.His words: “I am happier today. They (people around here and motorists) are also happier. Now is to work towards completion. But I am assuring you that we will keep working to ensure this bridge is

completed”

He further stated: “ We are happy here because there is improvement there. It is a departure from what we used to see here before. I am more impressed than I was when I came here last. But there are some issues of finance that we need to settle. We will sort it out amicably. With the little we have given, I can assure you that works will not stop. We will improve upon this except that we need to sort out this variation issue”, he stated.