Abule-Egba explosion: Govt to meet with NNPC on compensation for victims ― Sanwo-Olu

Lagos State governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, said on Saturday that his administration will be meeting with the management of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to discuss on issues of compensation for victims of the January 19 pipeline fire in Abule Egba.

Governor Sanwo-Olu also said the government would be discussing with the corporation on measures to be taken in finding a lasting solution to incidents of pipeline vandalism in the state.

The governor made this known while sympathising with over 300 displaced victims of the inferno, who were resettled in Igando Emergency Relief Camp in Alimosho by the state government.

It would be recalled that the governor was on a week-long working visit to the United Kingdom (UK) when the incident occurred, but his deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, last Tuesday, led cabinet members and top government officials on a visit to the scene of the fire.

According to Sanwo-Olu, the compensation plan will be extended to those whose properties were razed in the inferno, adding that some of the victims who rented homes in the area would also be supported to re-adjust back to their normal lives.

“As a responsible government, we need to go back and have a thorough discussion with NNPC on what kind of lasting solution we are expecting and compensation we can make available for the victims so that we can resettle them back into their community. We will also be looking at various forms of affordable accommodation for some of them, who rent homes in the community.

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“We have taken enumeration and we know the status of each of the displaced families that are clustered in this relief camp. We will work with the records for the compensation and every one of them will be reintegrated back to their community,” he said.

Governor Sanwo-Olu, while describing the incident as a “regrettable disaster,” said the government felt the pain of the innocent victims who bore the losses of the pipeline vandalism.

He said the state government took the step to resettle the victims at the Igando Relief Camp to ensure they were not left to their fate and in deplorable conditions in their moments of despair, assuring that the victims would be catered for both medically and nutrition-wise for the period they would spend in the camp.

“For the period the victims will be in settled in the relief camp, we will take care of them until the coast is clear for them to return to their community,” the governor promised.

The excited victims appreciated the state government for looking after their welfare in the aftermath of the disaster, describing the relief programme as an “unexpected gesture” as the state government’s effort had been helping them to cope and keep up with life.

The Igando relief camp is equipped with various amenities, including primary healthcare centre, constant water and electricity.