Hold Police, Customs responsible for Lagos fire cracker incident – LG boss

The Chairman of Lagos Island Local Government Area, Wasiu Eshinlokun, has blamed the Nigeria Police and the Nigeria Customs Service for the firework explosion at the Jankara Market in Lagos State.
Eshinlokun said that the Nigerian Customs Service and the police should be held responsible following their failure and negligence in checking the influx of the fireworks as well as arresting the importers.
He said: “The next line of action is for government to look at what had caused the problem, those involved in the trading of such items, then how do we mitigate the sufferings of those who were affected?
“This will also serve as a lesson to all of them that, in future, they’ll be more alert to their responsibilities.”
Eshinlokun further stated that to avoid future occurrence, there is the need to enlighten the populace on the dangers of fireworks.
“We must have a multi-faceted approach to it. We must do a re-orientation, sensitization, and application of the law,” Eshinlokun said.
Victims of the explosion have called on the Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, to go beyond tracking down persons behind the fireworks as they appealed for compensation over the losses recorded.
An electronic appliance merchant, Chuks Nwaji, stated that he lost electronic goods worth more than N1 million to the explosion.
Nnaji said: “I just restocked my shop with over N1 million worth of electronics last week.
“I got the money from a bank and now all my one year savings have been lost to the explosion.
“I need help from government and good Nigerians to come to my rescue because this explosion has taken everything from me.”
Another trader at the Jankara Market, Lious Maduka, said his warehouse, filled with generating sets, was burnt beyond recognition.
Maduka added that he could not quantify the amount he lost but said it runs into millions of Naira.
Maduka said: “I am still in shock over the incident.
“My warehouse, filled with generators, was burnt completely.
“I can’t tell you exactly how much I lost because the pain cannot be quantified in money.
“I lost a livelihood and goods worth millions of naira.”
Investigation revealed that the Oko-Awo Police Post, located a few metres from the warehouses, turned a blind eye to the illegal fireworks stored at the Jankara Market.
Traders at the market alleged that the policemen should be investigated over their role in the storage of the fireworks.
A trader who simply gave his name as Bayo said: “The police cannot say that they are not aware of the movement of goods in and out of the warehouses.
“They know everything that happens in this market and some of them act as escorts when the fireworks are smuggled into the warehouse.
“We can’t say anything because they are policemen who are supposed to arrest those behind the firework but instead they connive with them.”
The police in the state had reacted to the explosion with a strong warning to culprits to turn themselves in or face the full wrath of the law.
The Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Administration at the Lagos State Police Command, Isaac Eke, stated that the police will begin a massive clampdown on users of fireworks.
Also the spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, Ngozi Braide, when she visited the scene of the incident, said that the police will arrest and prosecute the owner of the building where the fireworks were stored.
“It is illegal to deal on goods that are prohibited by law let alone importing such goods into the country,” Braide said.
As the bulldozer from the Lagos Public Works Corporation continued to pull down the burnt buildings, residents are complaining that they have been barred from entering their apartments.
It was gathered that stern looking policemen had cordorned off surrounding buildings and asked occupants to stay off until the demolition of affected structures is completed.