Senate probes Lagos pipeline explosion as Muslim bodies, Church express concern

The Senate has directed its Committees on Petroleum Downstream, Gas Resources and Petroleum Upstream to investigate the immediate and remote causes of the Lagos pipeline explosion to avoid reoccurrence. They are to turn in their report in two weeks.

The Sunday morning blast in Abule-Ado area of the state claimed 19 lives, injured scores as well as destroyed more than 50 buildings and several vehicles.

The upper legislative chamber also urged the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development to immediately send relief materials to the victims and offset the medical bills of the injured.

The senators equally want the Federal Government and members of the National Assembly to donate to the N2 billion “Abule–Ado Emergency Relief Fund”.

The resolutions followed a motion by Solomon Adeola (APC: Lagos) on the “urgent need to investigate explosion at Abule-Ado, Amuwo Odofin LGA.”

The sponsor said there had been a repeat of related incidents in same zone, recalling the blasts of 2016, 2018 (Abule-Egba); 2019 (Abule – Egba); 2020 (Ijegun); and 2020 (Ile-Epo, Oke-Odo) all in Lagos West Senatorial District.

According to him, “Nigerians living around this axis or going about their legitimate endeavours now live in justifiable fear of not only losing their lives or those of loved ones from these frequent explosive fire disasters, but also their property and investments.”

In his remarks, Senate President Ahmad Lawan implored town planners to strictly enforce extant laws to prevent people from building on pipeline-designated locations.

He also advised the relevant authorities to enforce road safety regulations and ensure heavy-duty vehicles load according to specifications.

Besides, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has appealed to the Federal Government and the National Assembly to urgently address the menace.

It regretted that that blasts had become perennial in a fashion that Lagosians were dying daily in their hundreds while property worth billions of naira get lost to the uncontrollable conflagrations.

In a statement, MURIC’s director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, stated: “The long history of pipeline explosions makes it mandatory on the both Federal Government and the National Assembly to find an urgent solution.”

On action against pipeline vandals, the Islamic body canvassed the creation of an anti-vandalisation unit in any of the security agencies similar to the anti-terrorism and anti-kidnapping formations already in existence.

Moreover, he sought a special relief package for victims of the Lagos disaster.

Towing same line, the Nasrul-Lahi-L-Fatih Society (NASFAT) commiserated with the affected families.

In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Akeem Yusuf, the group called on the three tiers of government to undertake due diligence with a view to checking future incidence.

Also yesterday, the Supreme Head, Cherubim & Seraphim Unification Church of Nigeria, Prophet Solomon Adegboyega Alao, sought forensic investigation to unravel the origin of the blast.

He said the incident should be seen as a national tragedy that must be thoroughly investigated.