By Rachael Adebayo
Rescue operations continued Monday at the Abule Ado, Soba gas explosion sites in Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area if Lagos State, which occurred in the early hours of Sunday 15th of March 2020 claiming many lives with many residents rendered homeless.
Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, his deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, and members of the state executive council paid a visit to the scene of incident.
Addressing newsmen, during the visit, Governor Sanwo-Olu, who described the incident as a very sad one, sympathized with the families who lost their loved ones in the explosion.
Meanwhile, the governor has launched a N2 billion relief fund for the victims, which he called Abule Ado, Soba Emergency Relief Fund.
Also, a committee has been set up by the governor to investigate the cause of the gas explosion and submit their findings not later than fourteen days.
The committee is to be headed by the Deputy Governor, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, assisted by Mr Omotayo Bamgbose.
In another development, residents of Abule Ado, Soba are of the opinion that the calamitous incident, which affected the communities was more than just a gas explosion.
Our correspondent, who visited the scene, heard some of the still pained residents saying it was a calculated attack aimed at the Bethlehem Girls College located in the area for being is a missionary school.
Although this fresh claim has not been substantiated by any of the claimants, official statements blamed the explosion on human error while some other eyewitness accounts said it was caused by a tipper which caught fire near a pipeline location hence the high impact calamity.
Following the incident the priopertor and priopertress of Lin Daves Montessori School, Mr. and Mrs Davidson Iyoor, along side with their son, Kachi, and househelp were all perished in the explosion, our correspondent confirmed.
According to sources close to the family, the son’s wedding had been planned to happen soon before the unfortunate struck.
In the meantime, the rescue operation continued at the time of filing this report as more bodies are still being trapped under the affected buildings.
