Lagos tanker fire: Stakeholders want tank farms relocated

Victims of last Tuesday's inferno in Apapa area of Lagos State where 15 people were burnt to death, have called on the government to relocate the fuel tank farms from their present location in Apapa, saying the number of casualties arising from tanker-related accidents in the area was on the increase.

Also, the victims want the government to assist them get back on their businesses.

A victim, Mr. Daniel Apere, lamented that he lost goods worth more than N5 million to the inferno.

"I don't know where to start from, I watched all my life earnings totalling more than N5 million being consumed by the raging fire. Also, my elder brother lost over N30 million to the fire."

Apere appealed to the Federal Government to relocate the tank farms from Apapa, saying: "The number of casualties from tanker-related accidents is increasing daily, as a result the tank farms should be removed from Apapa and environs.''

It would be recalled that Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, while assessing the extent of damage caused by the explosion at the MRS tank farm, last year, urged the Federal Government, in the interest of the masses, to relocate the tank farms from the area.

Another victim, Collins Okafor, said: "All my goods were completely burnt and I could not salvage anything. For the past four months, we have been experiencing fire disasters around here but this is the greatest of all. An orange seller lost her son to the inferno and she also got burnt in the process, in her bid to rescue her son."

Mr. Oke Udeagbara, President of the Berger Business Community, lamented the loss of his members. He said: "The loss was unimaginable. We lost over N1 billion on that day.

One can imagine all the shops loaded with engines and the least of the truck engines costs N800,000. The explosion occurred at a time some of our members had just stocked their shops with new arrivals.''

Mr. Moses Okolie, chairman, Board of Trustees of the traders, said five of the traders who had rushed to the scene to salvage their property were injured in the process.

Mr. Arinze Okolie, manager, Berger Suya car park, said: "The fire started at about 10:00 pm and immediately spread to nearby buildings, burning several people to death."

Okolie, who attributed the incident to negligence on the part of the tanker driver, said: "The fuel-laden tanker experienced brake failure and rammed into the Police post at the bus stop.
Its content spilled  on the road caught fire. The driver should have checked the brake system and other parts of the vehicle before setting out on the journey.''

Govt should rehabilitate our roads —Residents
Residents of Osho Drive, the closest community to the scene of the incident, yesterday, expressed disappointment with the state of Kirikiri-Ajegunle road and called on government to rehabilitate its and save them from incessant tragedies.

Chairman, Osho Drive Community Development Association, Mr. Nwogu Emmanuel, who spoke to Vanguard said the road was an eyesore.

He said: "May I state categorically that the tragedy was aggravated by the bad road. The tanker driver would have been able to handle the situation if not for the deplorable condition of the road. The bus-stop is prone to gridlocks as a result of the bad road, the number of casualties would have increased if there was gridlock on that day.''

The CDA chairman, however, affirmed that many of the victims were non-residents of the community.

He said: "Nobody has come to search for their relatives because the victims mostly consist of traders, lotto dealers and suya dealers who come from far away places to transact their businesses in the area."

Tankers should operate at night —Petroleum dealers
President, Petroleum Dealers Association, Badagry branch, Otunba Adisa Osiefa, said the tankers were causing more havoc than good especially in day time.

He said: "We cannot continue to lose lives on our roads. Tankers are not supposed to be on the road during the day, rather, they should move in the night. I have travelled far and wide and discovered that things like this rarely happen in foreign countries.

I have told the government on many occasions to restrain tankers from operating during the day. The amount we make on tankers cannot be compared with the number of lives lost each time an explosion occurs on our road."

Fresh tanker explosion averted
What could have been another petroleum tanker explosion was averted in Lagos, yesterday, through the quick intervention of the state's fire fighters and men of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, who prevented an overturned tanker from igniting fire.

According to an eyewitness, a tanker fully loaded with petrol which registration number was removed, while on transit suddenly overturned in the process of negotiating a bend and spilled the content on the road.

The incident which reportedly occurred at about 1pm at Oke Ajuwon, along Iju-Ishaga road, in Ifako-Ijaiye Local Council Development Area, LCDA, led to traffic congestion as men of the Lagos State fire fighters and LASTMA, who sped to the scene following distress call, kept onlookers and  motorists away from the spot of the incident.

According to Mr Tayo Adewale, a banker in one of the new generation banks in the area, "It is a miracle that the tanker did not burst into flames. But thank God for the quick arrival of LASTMA and fire fighters, it would have been a different story."

The situation was brought under control few hours later and the tanker was removed from the road.

Nigeria Records 58 Per Cent Polio Reduction -NPHCDA

The Executive Secretary of  National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr Ado Muhammad has disclosed that, Nigeria has recorded a reduction of polio eradication by 58 percent in the last one year.

Muhammed made this known when the Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu visited the Agency in Abuja on Thursday, January 9.

"In the last one year, we have been able to reduce the burden by 58 per cent. We have also been able to collapse the genetic clause end from eight to two. We have also been able to restrict the case to Borno, Yobe and Kano. We are now carrying out the final onslaught and we are optimistic that this year, Nigeria will say bye-bye to polio," he said

Reiterating the federal government's commitment to intensify efforts to eradicate polio in the country, Chukwu said the federal government is committed to increase the national immunisation campaign in order to strengthen human resource for the elimination of polio virus.

Chukwu said the government had not relented on its efforts to continue routine immunisation in the state despite the killing of some health workers in Kano.

"The State Governor, Musa Kwankwaso, along with the community heads, has assured us that there is nothing that can discourage them in the fight against polio. Though, the Federal Government shared their views, but we noticed that there were operational issues in some local governments.

"We found out that the performance was not at the level that we expected, what we are doing now is to begin to inject new human resources. Those we think could be more committed to take over from those who may not have been doing it that well. With what has happened, we are looking forward to the next round of the campaign,'' he said.

However, Muhammad assured that the agency would do more to ensure that the mandate vested on the organisation was discharged effectively to make Nigerians healthier in the fight against polio.

Northern group wants Obasanjo to debate with Al – Mustapha

The Northern Emancipation Network, NET, has called on former President Olusegun Obasanjo, to respond to Major Hamza Al-Mustapha's challenge of a public debate, to afford Nigerians the opportunity of knowing the truth about some unresolved issues that happened during his tenure as president.

It also dismissed reports that Al-Mustapha was in South Korea at the time Obasanjo's letter was made public, adding that the former chief security officer to late Gen Sani Abacha, was in India for medical treatment at that time.

A statement by NET's national coordinator,  Abdul-Azeez Sulaiman called on President Goodluck Jonathan to shelve his liberal politicking which it said, allowed people to take advantage of.

The statement reads: "We became particularly excited when Major Hamza Al-Mustapha who was covertly referred to in connection with some of Obasanjo's allegations challenged the former president to a public debate to afford Nigerians the opportunity of learning the truth of some of the allegations and other issues. We want to insist that Obasanjo should take up that challenge

"We also call on President Jonathan to shelve his liberal politicking which people like Obasanjo take advantage of to cause mischief in the land. President Jonathan should remember that apart from being the chief accounting and security officer of Nigeria, he is also the chief enforcer of discipline in the land."

It further said, "and to those that think they can take the President's extraordinary liberal disposition for granted by manipulating it to their undue advantage, we say, we are prepared to protect him as our president, as well as a symbol of the generational power shift the country needs to conform with the global trend that favours the infusion of fresh thinking and vibrancy in governance."

Apologise or lose upcoming elections, Muslims tell PDP

Muslim faithfuls under the aegis of Muslim Rights Concern have threatened that they may not vote for PDP in the upcoming election if the party does not apologise for drawing Islam into "unfounded politics".
 
The Director of the Muslim group, Prof. Ishaq Akintola made this known in a statement to condemn statement credited to PDP that APC was an agenda for the Islamisation of Nigeria.
     
He warned the Peoples Democratic Party and All Progressives Party not to involve Islam in their "unguarded, unprofessional, and parochial" politics.
 
 "We appeal to PDP mainstream to call its spokesperson to order. No political party should attempt to turn Islam into a pawn in its political chess game. We warn that any political party which attempts to drag the name of Islam into the murky waters of Nigerian politics will have the Muslims to contend with.
 
"The way forward for PDP leadership is to withdraw the fraudulent statement credited to its spokesman, apologises to Nigerian Muslims in particular and all Nigerians in general."
 
He noted that the religion was not against participating in politics, adding that was why Muslims would not stop to vote in the country.
 
"We are in all political parties (PDP, APC, Labour, PDM, APGA, etc) and we cannot afford to be partial or parochial. We wish all of them well. Our members voted for all political parties (including the PDP) and they will continue to vote for political parties of their inclination without being prompted from the minbar (mosque's pulpit)," he said.

INEC is ready for Ekiti, Osun guber polls —Jega

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has declared that it has  plans on how to conduct Ekiti and Osun state governorship elections later  this  year.

This declaration was made,  yesterday,  at the commission's headquarters, in Abuja, during a courtesy visit by the Netherlands' Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr.  John Groffen.

Jega expressed confidence that INEC would conduct a much better  election  in 2014 than it did in 2011, adding that what happened during the last governorship election in Anambra State was unfortunate.

According to him: "Anambra was an unfortunate case, but it doesn't in anyway indicate our level of preparedness for the forthcoming general elections in 2015."

The INEC boss pointed out that conducting credible election in the country was the joint responsibility of INEC and all its stakeholders, including political parties, civil society groups and international partners.

"As we move towards 2015, we would strengthen our relationship with our stakeholders," he said.

He thanked the various stakeholders for assisting the commission overcome its various challenges.

Earlier on, the Netherlands' envoy had said his country's government wanted its  long standing relationship with Nigeria as business partners to continue.

He, however, observed that for business to thrive in any country, there must be a conducive environment which must be anchored on peace and stability, adding that his country's government was interested in ensuring that the forth coming general elections are free and fair.

He stated that he visited the commission to find out the challenges faced by it in order to examine the prospects of partnering with INEC.
 

Yaya Toure is CAF African Player of The Year 2013

Manchester City's Yaya Toure has been named the African Player of the Year 2013 by the Confederation of African Football at an awards ceremony held in Lagos on Thursday evening.

The Ivoirian won the title for a third straight time beating off competition from compatriot Didier Drogba and local favourite John Obi Mikel to the title.

In a ceremony dominated by Nigeria who swept the Coach of the Year and Team of the Year awards, many had expected Chelsea's Mikel to win the top gong on the back of the Super Eagles' victory at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.

However, it was the Ivoirian Toure who was called up to the podium again, walking in the footsteps of Cameroonian Samuel Eto'o who won it thrice between 2003 and 2005.

Toure told media that he felt 'lucky' to win it considering the size of the competition. In the other awards given on the evening, Egyptian Mohamed Aboutreika won the award for best African player based on the continent. It was a good send off for the 35-year-old who announced his retirement from football at the end of last season.

Aboutreika beat off competition from compatriot Ahmed Fathy and Nigerian midfielder Sunday Mba.  It wasn't all gloom for Nigeria as their coach Stephen Keshi was named best coach and the Super Eagles won the award for Team of the Year.

Youngster Kelechi Iheanacho who led Nigeria to the Fifa U17 World Cup victory was named Promising Young Player while his team was named the Youth Team of the Year.

Four Nigerians also made it into CAF Team of the Year.
 
The Full Awards
National Team of the Year
Nigeria
Youth National Team of the Year
Nigeria U17
Club of the Year
Al Ahly of Egypt
Fair Play Award
Nigeria Supporters Club
Referee of the Year
Djamel Haimoudi (Algeria)
Most Promising Talent
Kelechi Iheanacho (Nigeria U17)
Coach of the Year
Stephen Keshi (Nigeria)
African XI:
Enyeama; Fathy, Benatia, Constant, Mikel, Yaya, Aboutreika, Pitroipa, Emenike, Gyan, Aubameyang
Coach: Keshi
African Player of the Year (Africa-based)
Mohamed Aboutreika (Egypt)
African Player of the Year
Yaya Toure (Cote D'Ivoire)
CAF Legend Award
Bruno Metsu
Jose Mehdi Faria

FG signs prisoners’ transfer deal with UK

The Federal Government and Britain, yesterday, signed a Prisoners' Transfer Agreement.

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammad Adoke, SAN and the United Kingdom,  Minister of Justice, Mr. Jeremy Wright sealed the deal at a ceremony, in Abuja.

Wright said: "This is a good agreement for both Nigeria and UK. It gives us an opportunity to strengthen our partnership and friendship. It is also an opportunity to ensure that the prisoners which come from either country will serve their sentences in their own countries, that is better for their rehabilitation," he said.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Professor Viola Onwuliri, who earlier received Wright in her office, said "experts from both countries will now sit down to bring the modalities for implementation. After which the two countries will go back to ratify and then it will come into force.

"We have two arrangements with UK on prisoner transfer.

Already we have an existing agreement under the commonwealth scheme which provides transfer with consent and we have been implementing that.
 

PDP Leaders Will Save it from Disintegration - Mark

The Senate President, David Mark, has assured that the leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will unite to save the party from its current crisis.

This information is contained in a statement by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, in Abuja on Thursday.

Mark gave the assurance ahead of the forthcoming National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the party.

``We will arrest the current situation and save our party from further disintegration,'' Mark said.

According to him, some Nigerians are talking about tsunami in the PDP because of the defection by some members of our party holding elective and non-elective positions.

But as leaders, we will not sit by and continue to allow this drift. We shall do the needful and ensure that we save our great party.''

He said the development was a challenge, and assured that genuine efforts would be made to reconcile members of the party so as to restore peace and unity in the party.

He was optimistic that the Senate was a united family, saying that the Senate was interested in whatever affected the welfare and well being of Nigerians.

Gunmen Attack Mosque in Kano

Gunmen have attacked a mosque in the northern Nigerian state of Kano, killing three worshippers and wounding 12 others, police say.

The attackers sprayed bullets into the mosque in the home village of Kano governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. His elderly father was in the mosque, but escaped unhurt, witnesses said.

No group has said it carried out the raid. Islamist group Boko Haram has also staged several attacks in Kano, and elsewhere in northern Nigeria. The run-up to elections in oil-rich Nigeria is often marred by violence between rival political groups.

Mr. Kwankwaso was among five influential governors who defected from President Goodluck Jonathan's People's Democratic Party (PDP) to the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in November.

Heshimu Suleiman, one of the governor's supporters, said the attack was politically motivated to punish Mr Kwankwaso for defecting, reports the AP news agency.

The PDP has not yet commented on the allegation.
In December, Nigeria's ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo said it would be "morally flawed" for Mr. Jonathan to seek re-election next year. He said Mr. Jonathan had failed to tackle Nigeria's many problems, including corruption and an insurgency led by the militant Islamist group Boko Haram.

Mr. Jonathan defended his record in government, but has not yet declared his candidature.

Two undergrad sisters burnt to death in Agbor

TWO female undergraduate siblings have been burnt to death following a midnight inferno that razed their hostel in Agbor, Delta State, Tuesday.

The two girls were students of College of Education, Agbor and were among those living in a private hostel adjacent the college.

Their names were given as Favour and Ndidi from Obiaruku in Ukwuani Local Government Area of the state.

According to an eyewitness, "the unfortunate incident occurred while they were sleeping in the hostel. The fire started at about midnight unknown to neighbours that the two girls were in their rooms."

The cause of the fire was not immediately ascertained but source gathered that men of the state fire service were called in for rescue operation after the havoc had been done. The two corpses were deposited at the Central Hospital, Agbor.
State Commissioner, Bureau for Special Duties, Dr. Tony Nwaka, had while delivering his mid-term report last year said 90 lives and property worth over N7 billion were lost to fire in the last six years.

He said over N65 billion property were salvaged

15 burnt to death in Lagos tanker fire

No fewer than 15 people were burnt to death when a  tanker laden with petrol fell and went up in flames Tuesday night. The inferno lasted till yesterday morning, at the Berger Suya junction, Apapa, Lagos.

Also, several buildings, eight vehicles and about 200 lock-up shops including a commercial bank in the area were razed.
There were, however,  conflicting accounts of the number of casualities. While Federal Fire Service and National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, put the figure at 15, the Lagos State Emergency  Management Agency, LASEMA, and the State fire service said only five bodies were recovered.

The fire which started at about 10:35pm on Tuesday was said to have been caused by a tanker laden with 33,000 litres of petrol which lost control as it was  negotiating a sharp bend. It exploded close to suya spots in the area.

The driver of the truck, his assistant, several passengers in two commercial buses, by-standers and two Hausa suya vendors were burnt beyond recognition. Rescue workers were seen picking and collecting bones and burnt human parts into cellophane bags.

A commercial bank was not spared as a part of the building which housed the Automated Teller Machines, ATMs, was badly damaged. Eyewitnesses said that the bank guard was trapped and burnt in the inferno.

Fire fighters led by the Director, Lagos State Fire Service, Fadipe Razaq Idowu, had hectic time combating the fire which lasted about five hours.

Speaking with source early yesterday, Idowu stated that the team which comprises 21 officials responded promptly with three fire trucks each containing 10,000 litres of water. According to him, each of the trucks was replenished three times.

He said: "The State Fire service responded with three fire trucks, each containing 10,000 litres and was replenished three times. We also used 600 litres of synthetic chemical foam to stop the raging fire, if not, the whole building would have been razed."

Idowu disclosed that the tanker which was carrying about 33,000 litres of petrol, went up in flames after it lost control when trying to negotiate a bend at the Berger Suya Junction leading to Wilmer.

Reacting to the number of deaths recorded, Idowu stated  that five bodies were evacuated by Lagos State Environmental Unit at the spot.

The General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, said 15 people died in the conflagration.

But an eyewitness said more than 15 people were burnt beyond recognition. "It will be more than that (15 people).

They don't know what they are saying. Two buses which were at the spot when the incident happened caught fire and all the occupants were burnt. The suya sellers including a woman selling orange at the junction were burnt.

Victim wails
One of the executives of the Berger Suya Traders Association, Gabriel Ojum, cried that they were like orphans now having lost everything they had laboured for. He said he lost more than  N5 million worth of goods to the inferno. He disclosed that more than 200 shops were affected with goods burnt.

Ojum pointed to another member of the executive of the union who lost about 30 articulated vehicle engines, each costing about N850,000.

How it happened
An eyewitness, who resides in the area told source that the tanker, which number plate could not be identified was coming from Kirikiri jetty and lost control probably as a result of brake failure. He said the tanker fell as it was trying to negotiate a bend and caught fire immediately.

As it lost control, the truck fell close to the suya spot at the junction with its content spilling across the road into the immediate environment, from the suya furnace it wildly spread to the street. The driver and the conductor were trapped in the truck which was burnt beyond recognition. Two buses which were carrying several passengers were also burnt without a survivor. A woman who sold oranges at the junction; a guard in the bank was also burnt to death. Some policemen at the junction were also not spared. But I don't know whether they (the policemen) survived it or not."

On how it spread to the adjoining street where about 200 shops were affected, another resident, who also lost goods worth about N5million to the inferno said: "As the tanker fell, its content (petrol) spilled and flowed into the gutters and as the fire began, it spread immediately to the gutters, linking the shops and vehicles parked along the road. The entire area was gutted. We immediately reached the fire service, which responded promptly."

An eyewitness said the fire was put out at around 3:00 am yesterday with property and goods estimated at N500million destroyed.

This is a bad New Year gift —Victims
Edwin Ibe, who had just returned from his village for the Christmas celebration said he lost more than N45 million worth of goods. He described the incident as bad new year gift.

A middle aged father of six who spoke amid tears, lamented: "As you can see, I lost a lot of money here. Not only that my engines worth more than N25 million got burnt to ashes, a fairly new trailer that I recently acquired which is worth over N15m was also burnt."

Promise Lezieanya, a trader, absolved the tanker driver of blame saying "he tried his best to maneouvre shouting that the truck had lost its brake as he was approaching the junction.

"A commercial bus by the side which was fully loaded with passengers to Wilmer got burnt. No one survived in the bus. I counted more than 28 people, 94 shops, eight motorcycles and eight vehicles that were burnt that night. I lost 38 pieces of engines to the fire outbreak each at the rate of N1.1m and a new truck that I had sold at the rate of N7million but had not delivered to the owners. All the Okada riders that used to stay at the junction were all burnt to ashes," he narrated.
Fire fighters

No fewer than 21 men from the state fire service were busy fighting the fire with about 90,000 litres of water. The State Director, Lagos State fire service, Fadipe Razaq Idowu stated that apart from the fact that three trucks were used, they also used 600 litres of synthetic chemical foam to stop the raging fire.

He, however, acknowledged the support of private fire units of Julius Berger and the Navy which complemented the state fire service to combat the inferno.

Looting spree
Razaq  told source that street urchins had a field day looting as the fire was raging. He noted, "Many of them were carrying machete, sledge hammer and other dangerous weapons trying to loot. They impeded our work, we would have recorded more successes if they had stayed out of our way."

Another eyewitness indicated that looters were trying to gain access into the ATM compartment of the affected bank just as others were busy vandalising property around.

Lagos government reacts
Lagos State Government yesterday described the Apapa fire incident which killed 15 people as a shock,saying "in order to avoid this, that was why the state government embarked on the enforcement of the 2012 road traffic law."

Commissioner for Information and Strategy,  Mr. Lateef Ibirogba, while reacting to the inferno said: "We noted it and have always advised full compliance with the Lagos Road Traffic Law 2012 in terms of maintenance of vehicle road worthiness, compliance with speed limits and use of indicator lights.

"That's why we also reorganised and strengthened our Vehicle Inspection Agency. There's often a tendency for tanker drivers to resist enforcement, gang up and threaten to withdraw their service. We must all resist this and insist on full compliance with the Law."

Lagos records 194 fire incidents in 39 days

The inferno was the 194th fire incident that Lagos would witness in 39 days since December 2013.

As of Tuesday, Mr Rasak Fadipe, told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, that 193 fire outbreaks  had occurred in Lagos within the last one month.

Before the Berger Suya disaster, Fadipe said the last incident occurred on January 7 at about 3.08 a.m., at Sawmill Market, Ipaja, Lagos.

No apology for sacking teachers—Oshiomhole

Edo State governor, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, yesterday, said that his government had no apology for sacking 836 teachers in the state.

He spoke on the heels of the disclosure by the leadership of Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, that he had promised to review the recent sack of the teachers, with a view to recalling those who were improperly sacked.

Oshiomhole, who spoke through the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, said his administration was poised to sanitise and revitalise the education sector to produce students who would pass the Senior School Certificate Examinations without recourse to miracle centres, noting that the presence of some teachers that could not read, write or speak good English would not produce intelligent pupils.

He spoke in Auchi during the celebration of Allah at the 17th edition of Auchi Day, with the theme The Holy Qu'ran: Guidance for Mankind.

He said: "Some people are bellyaching that we sacked teachers. We have no apology for that. Some persons ought to have retired 10 years ago, but they reduced their ages in order to remain in the system. They have passed the age of 60 and are still in the system."

He noted that many Nigerian leaders abandoned God and are pursuing wordly things, adding that the country needs leaders keen on moving it forward.

Otaru of Auchi, HRH Aliru Momoh, Ikelebe III, warned that the struggle for power and influence only for perpetuating stealing and killings, which brought the country on the verge of collapse was caused by the inordinate ambition of citizens.

LP’s legal adviser, Fasakin resigns

National Legal Adviser of the Labour Party,  Biodun Fasakin, a lawyer, has resigned his position from  the party in protest over alleged manipulation of the party's constitution
Speaking at a press conference, in Ado Ekiti, yesterday.

Fasakin mentioned the issue of leadership between the former governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel and the LP chairman in the state, Mr. Bode Simon and the manner in which a member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Bamidele Opeyemi was manipulated to take the position of leadership of the party in Ekiti State as reasons for his resignation.

Apo killing: DSS opposes N500m compensation to victims

As more revelations emerge on how 12  Boko Haram kingpins took over an uncompleted building situated behind the Apo legislative quarters in Abuja, the Department of State Services, DSS, yesterday, urged the Federal Government not to accede to a N500 million compensation demand by surviving victims of the September 20, 2013 midnight shootings.

Addressing the investigative panel of the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, yesterday, the DSS said it was satisfied that most of the squatters in the uncompleted building were Boko Haram members, insisting that it was occupants of the building that initially opened fire on security agents that came for a search operation following a tip-off by an apprehended terror suspect.

Speaking through its senior lawyer, Mr. Clifford Osagie, the DSS, while imploring the Federal Government to, in the meantime, ignore demand by the National Commercial Tricycle and Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association of Nigeria, NATOMORAS, that families of the deceased and injured victims should be compensated, said there was need to firstly ascertain that the eight persons that lost their lives during the operation were innocent.

The DSS, which took the position shortly after the Nigerian Army tendered exhibits before the NHRC panel, further maintained that its investigations revealed that eight persons that were arrested at the building on the day of the incident were die-hard Boko Haram members who were planning to unleash mayhem within the Federal Capital Territory and its environs.

No to N500m compensation
According to Osagie, "The position of the DSS on the N500 million compensation demand is very clear.

"We need to first ascertain and determine whether those people that were killed were actually innocent. Until you reach that decision you cannot pay compensation.

"Moreover, eight of the people that were arrested at the building on that day were Boko Haram members. It will be difficult for anybody to conclude at this point until investigation is concluded.

"This is why we think that the NHRC has a big task on hand. We must first ascertain the culpability or otherwise of those that died as well as determine the nexus between the occupants of the building and Mallam Suleiman who is currently at large.

"We have submitted a written submission to this commission where we articulated that the speed and manner with which the corpse of people that died during the shoot-out where removed, hampered our investigation and made it difficult for us to link them. We would have carried out a post mortem test on the corpses.

We came under fire
"Like we have said here repeatedly, we came under fire and we responded. Now if the government is to give compensation, it must be determined that the deceased persons actually fell under the bullet of security agents and not from Boko Haram elements in the building.

"Unless there is a pre-conceived notion by this commission that the institution is responsible already for the deaths, then we can start talking about compensation. We have no problem if you have reached a conclusive decision that they died innocently and therefore deserve compensation.

"However, we insist that this panel must first prove that the institution was responsible.

"Some of those that were arrested in the building were released on bail while we detained others we think have connection with the Boko Haram sect. We came under fire and under the rules of engagement for the operation, we were entitled to return fire."