Godwin Ifijeh And Andrew Ahiante
2 February 2002
As Army Restricts Movement into Cantonment
The Federal Government has approved salary advance for soldiers, affected by last Sunday's bomb explosions at the Ikeja Military Cantonment, even as plans have reached advanced stage to relocate some of them to Abati Barracks, Yaba.
Minister for Information and National Orientation, Professor Jerry Gana, who made these known to pressmen at the Cantonment yesterday, said the move was to boost the emotional and psychological well-being of those affected by the explosions.
The minister, who was accompanied by Minister of State (Army) for Defence, Alhaji Abubakar Batagarawa, and the Director of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mrs. D. O. Olowu, noted that the presidency has directed that all necessary action be carried out to ensure that victims of the explosions do not encounter further sufferings.
To this end, the minister said salary advance would be paid to the soldiers directly rather than the usual payment through banks which takes four working days to mature.
He said he was at the Cantonment to see and participate in the distribution of relief materials and to ensure that victims were actually the recipients.
He dispelled the rumour that officers were diverting the relief materials stating that the claims were caused by communication gap.
"The issue is that people do not get proper information. The Federal Government is determined to see that the victims of this explosions do not suffer unduly", Gana said, adding: "We have full directives from the Federal Government to complete the process of resettling the victims without any delay".
He said that a task force has been set up by the Federal Government to relocate the victims to Abati Barracks, Yaba.
A temporary camp, he said, has been set up there while renovation was in progress at where they would fully be resettled. He tasked the victims not to entertain any fear, assuring them that they would be duely compensated.
Government, he said, thought it necessary to embark on first thing first by resettling the victims, assessing their needs, before addressing the issue of compensation.
The Brigade Commander, Brigadier-General George Emdim said a kitchen has been established at the camp, stressing that those residing there would start receiving food immediately.
"Feeding of officers and their children would start this evening. Only officers or totally displaced people would benefit", he emphasised.
Meanwhile, the Army yesterday demanded that people keep out of the Ikeja Cantonment as efforts are being made to recover unexploded munitions.
In a release signed by the Director, Army Public Relations, Colonel Felix C. Chukwuma, the Army explained that the move became necessary to ensure safety of lives as those lost to the explosions were enough. "Please, help tell Nigerians, it is for their own safety as the death already recorded is enough for the nation", the spokesman said.
He advised Lagosians not to worry should they hear any further explosion, stressing that the situation was under control.
In another development, authorities of the Command Day Secondary School at the Cantonment completely destroyed by last Sunday's explosions have assured students of the institution that normalcy would soon be restored to the place. The Commandant of the school, Colonel Solomon Oke, who expressed concern over the situation, said he was especially concerned about the plight of final year students who are to sit for their final examinations very soon.
The institution, known to be one of the best secondary schools in Lagos, which shared fence with the exploded armoury, was completely razed down by the explosion.
The commandant explained that the buildings, laboratories, and other stationery were completely destroyed.
A temporary arrangement, he said, was being provided in the institution's primary school which was not affected for the students. He said the school would run the remaining session on shift basis.
Earlier in the day, the former First Lady, Maryam Babangida, wife of Lagos State Governor, Mrs. Oluremi Tinubu, and the Archbishop of Lagos, Catholic Archdiocese, Dr. Anthony Olubunmi Okogie, called at the Cantonment to commisurate with the victims and to offer their widow's mite to them.
The First Lady, Mrs. Stella Obasanj, also sent half a million naira through Silver Bird Communications to the victims.
Meanwhile, more missing names are coming to the Red Cross stand, while more bodies are also been recovered from the canal.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2002 This Day. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
