Ogun State when a fire outbreak roasted no fewer than 30 suspected
vandals allegedly siphoning petroleum products from a ruptured
Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) pipeline. Sunday Sun
learnt that the fire which started at about 2am was sparked off by
vandals who were arguing over who is eligible to fetch from the
ruptured pipeline.
It was in the heat of the argument that one of them accidentally
released a bullet that led to several explosions. However, operatives
of the Inspector General of Police Special Task Force on Anti-Pipeline
Vandalism Unit, Force Headquarters Annex, Lagos, who were on patrol
rushed to the scene to avert further disaster. Sunday Sun learnt that
it was in the process that they arrested a medical doctor, Dr
Adegboyega (first name withheld by us) and oneof the survivors Sunday
Reuben on their way to the hospital.
Dr Adegboyega was alleged to be smuggling one of the survivor, who
happens to be a vandal to his private clinic for treatment. Confirming
the arrest, Assistant Commissioner of Police, FridayIbadin, who is in
charge of the Task Force, said that the explosion started at about 2am
on Saturday. "Shortly after the explosion, policemen led by Sector
Commander, Lagos, DSPOnaghise Osayande, cordoned off the area to
reduce casualties while they awaited the arrival of fire fighters to
put out the fire.
It was in the process that they stumbled into a jeep carrying one of
the survivors and a medicaldoctor who was on his way to the hospital.
In thecourse of interrogation, we discovered that the survivor was one
of those who participated in the killing of those NNPC officials last
year. "Sometime in August, 2012, there was a firebreak which was
caused by suspected vandals who burst the pipeline to siphon petroleum
products at Arepo Village." Ibadin said: "Fire fighters are on the
ground while we have provided adequate security for any unforeseen
attack.
Meanwhile most of the survivors are on the run knowing full well that
they are criminals. Reubenis currently receiving treatment in an
undisclosed hospital". Groaning in pain, Reuben sobbed that so many of
them who were blown away by the explosion where still alive and
dying.In his words: "I was in my house when Suleiman my friend called
me that there is a job at Arepocreeks.
He asked me to look for a canoe and come with as many gallons as I can
carry. Shortly after I arrived, I saw people arguing while some were
fighting before I heard a gun shot. The next thing was an explosion. I
was lucky that I wasn't close to the ruptured pipeline. It was the
heat of the fire that affected me. I managed to run to my boat where
my mother was waiting. Iya Olabode, our neighbour called a doctor who
was about taking me to the hospital when we were arrested by the
police." When asked the number of persons at the creek, Reuben said:
"There areso many of us both men and women.
We are more than 30 persons over there and most of them are still
inside that fire. Most of them are still in the creeks dying, please
help them."' Meanwhile, the medical doctor, Adegboyega who is
currently battling to exonerate himself insists that he was simply
acting according to his oath to protect life. He claimed that he was
invited by a customer, Iya Olabode to attend to a patient in her house
at Abule Oba, Ikorodu area of Lagos. "I have been a family doctor to
Iya Olabode for the past three years.
So when she called me that there is an emergency, I quickly rushed to
her house where I saw Reuben badly burnt. I advised her that we should
take the man to my clinic for better treatment. We were on our way
when the police accosted us", the doctor explained. Sunday Sun reports
that Doctor Adeboyega was given an opportunity to call Iya Olabode to
help vindicate him but he got the shock of his life when he called Iya
Olabode on phone to come and help him.
It was gathered that her reply was: "Doctor, I don't know what you are
talking about. I only asked you to come and treat a patient and
makemoney. You want me to come and also be arrested because I allowed
a pipeline vandal to stay in my house". Iya Olabode later switched off
her phone. Meanwhile, scarcity of fuel loomsin Lagos and Ogun state as
NNPC has since stopped the flow of PMS through Arepo pipelinepending
when the ruptured pipeline would be repaired.
When contacted, the Information Officer of the National Emergency
Agency (NEMA), Mr Ibrahim Farinloye told Sunday Sun that only
theagency and the NNPC knew the exact route to the scene of the fire,
adding that none of the two outfits could access the area as at
yesterday evening.
He said that the exact number of casualties wasyet to be ascertained
and hinted that NEMA and the NNPC would visit the scene of the fire
today at about 9 am for accurate assessment ofthe incident. He said
that the supply from the area had been stopped to,"suffocate the
fire." The NEMA spokesman appealed to Nigerians to see oil pipelines
as their property and protect them against vandals pointing out that
the same pipelines had been vandalized about four times.
Source: sunnewsonline
No comments:
Post a Comment