Lagos promises support to victims of Ijegun inferno
Benjamin Omoike, Lagos
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos has promised that his administration would give all the needed support to the victims of the ljegun pipeline fire explosion to aid their recovery.
Sanwo-Olu gave the assurance in an interview with newsmen shortly after his visit to the victims, who were receiving treatment at the Trauma and Burns Centre at the Gbagada General Hospital, Lagos.
The governor, who described the incident as unfortunate, expressed his condolences to the families who lost their loved ones to the inferno.
“I have seen the patients; I have spoken to them, encouraged them and I have given words that everything that they need to do to give them comfort, that the management of the hospital should continue to do it.
“They confirmed that they have been very supportive and I assured them that the state government will ensure that as humanly possible, we will keep all and everyone of them alive,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu said that the issue of pipeline fire caused by vandalism was a security and criminal activity which the appropriate authorities were already looking into.
He appealed to residents to shy away from engaging in the nefarious activity while those living in areas prone to such acts should report to security agencies whenever they see the vandals.
“We will not shy away from apprehending culprits and make them face the wrath of the law. Residents in that place have the emergency toll free 7-6-7, 1-1-2 number, let them call; when you see people at odd hours of the day going to those places, call the rapid response.
“With this, we can scale up security operatives to come there and apprehend perpetrators of this act,’’ Sanwo-Olu appealed.
The fire explosion which occurred on July 4, destroyed property worth millions of naira and claimed some lives. It was caused by vandals who were siphoning fuel from the NNPC pipelines located in the area.
The state government had announced that it would offset the hospital bills of all the victims admitted at the Gbagada Burns Centre and the Lagos state University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja
