•Stop fire fighters from containing outbreak
Suspected cultists yesterday burned down a building and two vehicles at Ogijo, Ikorodu, a Lagos suburb.
The arsonists were said to have attacked the properties belonging to the father of a leader in a rival cult group, located beside Omoleye hospital in Ogijo.
It was learnt that the groups have had several clashes in the neighbourhood, destroying properties and valuables.
The Nation gathered that the attacks forced residents to flee their homes for fear of being hurt by the cultists.
Before the hoodlums set the house ablaze, they damaged two vehicles parked in the compound.
They were said to have poured petrol on the building and lit it, keeping watch to ensure it was completely razed.
Fire fighters at Ikorodu, who got to the scene to quench the fire were obstructed by the cultists, who threatened to also set fire on them and their truck if they do not vacate the premises.
Confirming the development, the state fire service director, Rasaq Fadipe said the arson was reported at about 10:26am.
Fadipe said: “Someone ran to the station to report the outbreak and our men moved to the site to contain it. But some boys came around and halted them from quenching the fire. They threatened to burn the men and the truck if they don’t leave the site. I do not know why they set the building ablaze but I learnt it belonged to the father of a rival cult member.”
Fadipe also admitted that the fire service attended to a distress call at the Pan African University.
According to him, the call was received at about 3:40pm, adding that the inferno started at the school’s diesel tank that supplies its generator.
He said the fire destroyed the tank, the generator, as well as a PHCN cable.
While warning Lagos residents to be safety conscious especially as the dry season approaches, Fadipe said the agency attended to six other cases yesterday.
He said: “We attended to a fire call at 11 Ihuntayi Street in Lekki; there was also a fire outbreak which affected two buildings of eight rooms each at Muri Ojora Street, Amukoko.
“Then, a confectionery factory at 5 /6 Peter Olu Ajayi Street, Agbado was gutted by fire, but our quick intervention saved the day; a restaurant at Ijaiye, Ogba also caught fire, thankfully, we were able to contain the fire there so that it does not spread into other shops and a bank beside it.
“There was also a call of a drunk driver who was involved in a lone accident at Ebute Ero. By the time we got there, policemen were already at the scene and the man identified as Kasumu, claimed two of his passengers fell into the river.
“But a search was conducted and no one was found in the river. You can see that most of the cases were caused by carelessness. People have to be careful especially now that the dry season is near,” he said.
