N81m largesse: Fresh 100 Ijegun explosion victims surface

[Punch]

No fewer than 100 people have identified themselves as another set of victims of the 2008 Ijegun pipeline explosion in Lagos State.

The new claimants were not among 233 earlier captured in the Lagos State Government's data and were allocated N81m for their loss.

The N81m, which came five years after the incident, was disbursed by the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency.

At the disbursement of cheques to the last victims of the explosions on Friday, the Chairman of the Ijegun Pipeline Explosion victims, Olaseni Soewu, said the new victims did not take the pledge by the government seriously.

He said, "The people that did not come forward when government was drawing up the list never believed that government would fulfil its promises to give relief to affected victims. When they now discovered that government gave out N81m, they showed up to collect whatever the government could give them."

General Manager, LASEMA, Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, said every victim that came was captured by the agency.

He said, "Some names were not captured and these are the people who didn't believe what government was doing anything but now, they know we mean business. We will look at their cases on merit.

"It is pertinent to know that they were not captured because they did not associate with the community. We are compiling new names, but government has fulfilled its promise to the known victims of the explosion."

Oke-Osanyintolu explained that the family of each of the 19 dead victims received N1m, while 52 persons with severe injuries got N500, 000 each.

He added that 72 persons, who lost properties, were given N250,000 each, while 90 others, who were mildly affected, got N100,000 each.

Mr Adedoyin Orenuga, whose sister, Idayat, died during the incident, commended the government, but lamented that the money given to the family could not bring back his sister.

Another beneficiary, Mrs. Adewuyi Musiliu, whose husband died leaving six children, said the token would be channelled into her business so that she could train the children.

The Punch

[Folami David]

Can't believe the incident is already 5 year ago. It's very funny how time flies in this world. It was a terrible day!