Exactly 12 years ago, on January 27, 2002, Mr Peter Akanbi lost his 38-year-old wife, Ajisafe; and two children, Olaoluwa and Tunde, in a bomb blast that occurred after the accidental detonation of a large stock of military explosives at the cantonment in the Ikeja area of Lagos State.
PUNCH Metro learnt that Peter remarried and had more children, but died in a car accident in 2012 before he could receive compensation from the Lagos State Government.
The 2002 Ikeja Bomb Blast Victim Family, an association comprising victims of the unfortunate incident, told PUNCH Metro that time had not healed their wounds.
They said Peter’s case was just one among the many who had been promised compensation by the Lagos State government, but had yet to be given anything.
The Vice Chairman of the association, Mr. Christopher Ise, who lost his son to the explosion, told our correspondent that in 2003, the Presidential Committee on the Lagos Explosion Disaster Relief Fund offered N500, 000 to the families of dead victims, while N250, 000 was offered to families of those who went missing in the blast.
Oyegbemi said the money was initially rejected by the families because it was too little and the committee promised to give more compensation, but since 2003, no further compensation has been given.
He said, “The explosion was caused by negligence of the Nigerian Army and the government has accepted the blame for it. Many of us lost our houses, children and sources of livelihood and we felt the money was too little but the then Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Ukot Ekaete, promised to give us more later so we accepted it.
“However, almost 14 years later, we have not received anything from the Federal Government.”
The Chairman of the association, Mr. Nurudeen Oyegbemi, who also lost his son to the explosion, told PUNCH Metro that in 2012, the Lagos State Government decided to give out money to the families of the victims and also made promises which it had yet to fulfill.
He said out of the 154 recognised victims, only 70 were actually given compensation of N250, 000.
Oyegbemi said during the presentation of the money, the association told Governor Babatunde Fashola about the irregularity and a promise was made to correct it, but since then, nothing had been done.
He said, “In 2012, as part of the 10-year anniversary of the explosion, the Lagos State Government, on compassionate grounds, decided to give the family of each victim N250,000. Out of 154, only 70 were given compensation while the remaining 84 were left out.
“During the presentation of the cheques, we pointed out to the governor that 84 people were left out. In 2013, as a follow up, we went to the office of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency but were told that the state government recognises only 70 even though the Federal Government recognises 154.
“We took a complaint to the Lagos State House of Assembly and were told to submit relevant documents which we did. In November 2013, we were told that the state government would not give us money as they could not mourn every year.”
Oyegbemi said even the scholarships which the state government pledged was no longer being paid.
“The government promised scholarship to 10 selected persons who lost their parents in the bomb blast. They were given N100, 000 once and that was it,” he said.
The Financial secretary of the association, Alhaji Surajudeen Kareem, appealed to the governments at all level to ensure that the victims’ families were not neglected.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Lateef Ibirogba, while responding to the claims of the victims, told PUNCH Metro that the compensation was not a right but was done on humanitarian grounds.
Ibirogba said, “The compensation was given to the victims on humanitarian grounds, it was not anybody’s right. As regards the list, it was the victims that compiled it by themselves, it did not emanate from us.
“I think the government fulfilled its promise and it should not be expected that compensation should be given every year. We have done our best as a government.”
Copyright PUNCH.
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