File photo
By Olasunkanmi Akoni,
Miscreants suspected to be Fulani herders attacked the Lagos state emergency team deployed to tackle the tanker explosion that occurred this morning at the Kara axis of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
This was disclosed by the Director-General, DG, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, Mr Femi Oke-Osanyintiolu. He explained that the agency responded to the incident at 0105hrs Saturday morning according to the stipulated emergency response plan.
He said, “The joint team (Lagos Fire and LASEMA) was waylaid on arrival by a group of herders believed to be Fulani boys brandishing dangerous weapons and was forced to seek extra police cover from the Isheri Police Station.
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“The operation commenced with police protection until the group of assailants grew larger and caused significant damage to vehicles and threat to the lives of our personnel.”
The development led to the team forced to suspend the recovery operation for safety reasons.
“It is of note that this attack is part of a very worrisome trend of first responders being attacked in the course of their duties,” he said
Subsequently, the agency and responders, accompanied by security reinforcements, were able to return to the scene and contain the fire resulting from an explosion which was caused by an overturned petrol tanker containing 45,000 litres of fuel.
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Oke-Osanyintiolu released the following post-disaster assessment to include: Two fatalities (driver of tanker and motor boy), 10 casualties who received on the spot treatment. 23 vehicles affected including 1 tanker containing the 45000 litres of petrol,1 luxurious passenger bus two articulated vehicles and 19 cars
At press time, the rescue operation was completed and normal traffic flow restored.
Oke-Osanyintiolu, therefore, warned residents to refrain from endangering the lives of emergency responders and allow them to carry out their lifesaving duties.