Residents of Ikotun under Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State has called on the federal government to put in place preventive and precautionary measures in tackling the recent oil spillage that occurred in the community.
They noted that such measures would further protect properties and life from losses and disaster.
A political aspirant of the People’s Democracy Party PDP, Mr. Ibrahim Olayiwola Olalekan, who spoke on the development, urged government at all levels to be proactive , calling on relevant enforcement agencies to deploy the required assets to the site of the distress.
The politician who is vying for a councillorship position in the vicinity, lamented that residents of the area where pipelines are mounted now live in fear due to issues bothering on vandalisation, insecurity of government assets and possible explosion.
According to him, the government should deploy law enforcement agencies to the site in furtherance to carry out 24hrs area surveillance on such facilities.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, has conducted a shutdown-operation to stem the spillage of Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS) that was observed to be stagnant in drainages and gutters along some streets in the community.
There was pandemonium in the early hours of Monday when residents of the community confirmed that oil spillage envelopes some of the drainages .
Operational activities in key areas of the community was halted due to the strong smell of the fuel and the leakage.
According to the signed Situation Report that emanated from the Director General of LASEMA, Dr. Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, on the Pipeline Leakage of 12th July, 2021 at Ikotun area, the agency admitted it observed it was a suspected pipeline vandalism/ illegal bunkering.
In response to inquiries by journalists, Nosa Okunbor, Head, Public Affairs of LASEMA on
14th July, 2021, said necessary actions have been taken to eliminate vulnerability of the area.
His words, “Upon arrival at the incident scene, PMS was observed flowing in the drainage along the street.
“Further investigation at the incident scene revealed that it is as a result of suspected pipeline vandalism/bunkering at a particular spot on the street in the early hours of Monday 12th July, 2021.
“Lagos State Fire Service (Abesan Station) has blanketed the entire area thus eliminating the vulnerability of the area as a result of the identified hazard.
“NNPC officials have also repaired the vandalized portion of the pipeline.
“Residents have been advised to go about their normal activities, but desist from open burning and naked flames until the emulsifiers applied by Fire Service fully digests the hydrocarbons/PMS.
By Roland Ekama
