The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called for a rejig of the nation’s emergency response in a manner that would educate Nigerians on how to prevent disasters.
Reacting to the Abule-Ado explosion which claimed many lives Sunday, in Lagos State, the PDP in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said an overhaul of the nation’s emergency management would strengthen quick responses to disasters.
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The party expressed worry over the spate of explosions and other “avoidable disasters” in Lagos and other strategic states of the federation, saying there was need for all citizens to be safe.
“The PDP insists that drastic measures must be adopted to check recurring disasters in the country.
“The party laments that the explosion has again brought sorrow, anguish and pain to families who are now suffering bereavement, injuries, homelessness, loss of property and means of livelihood.
“The PDP is grieved by the traumatizing effect of the explosion on a school, which killed the school principal, Revd. Sist. Henrietta Alokha, and injured many of the students.
“Our party notes the heroic service rendered by Revd. Sister Alokha in saving no fewer than 300 students and losing her own life at the end,” the party said.
The explosion
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) says 15 corpses, including a family of four, have been recovered from the scene of Sunday’s explosion which occurred at Abule Ado, Trade Fair axis of Lagos state.
No fewer than 60 students of Bethlehem Girls College located within the area who sustained varying degrees of injuries in the incident were also taken to the Nigerian Navy Hospital in Ojo Cantonment.
Mr Ibrahim Farinloye, Acting Coordinator of NEMA in Lagos, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the couple and their two sons were caught by the explosion on their way to church around about 9:00a.m. on Sunday.
Farinloye said over 50 buildings, including Bethlehem Girls College and a popular hotel, were damaged in the explosion.