The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Rescuers

  • Rescuers yet to find lagoon suicide woman

    Emergency workers yesterday expressed scepticism over reports that a woman jumped into the Lagos lagoon on Sunday evening.

    Their doubts, it was learnt, stemmed from the fact that no one, including eyewitnesses who raised the alarm on social media, has put forward a detail account of how the incident occurred.

    Though officials of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) continued search and rescue, it was gathered that the woman’s body was yet to be found.

    According to a source, the agency had hoped that relatives of the woman would have come forward or called the emergency toll free lines after the news broke.

    The source said: “So far, we have not gotten conviction that a woman or anyone jumped into the lagoon from Third Mainland Bridge on Sunday. We want to believe that with the break of the news, those who have not seen their sister, mother, wife believed to have gone through some hard times or was depressed would have made efforts to reach them. Then, those who could not reach such persons would have called the emergency lines to find out details on the person and to know if she has been found for possible identification. But no one has called to report a missing loved one or anything that relates to the said suicide.

    “Moreover, most of the people who said on social media the witnessed the incident has been contacted and they have not given us reliable information.

    “The vehicle that was parked there belongs to a former employee of Interswitch, who, according to the organisation, was very much alive.

    “We have made efforts to speak to him regarding the incident but his wife said her husband had been traumatised following reports on social media that it was the owner of the vehicle that committed suicide.

    “She said he cannot take his call. So, we have not been able to get facts. Despite the absence of reliable facts, we are carrying on with search and rescue.”

    In a short statement released by Interswitch, the firm said:  “We have become aware of a short video circulating on social networks and chat platforms, of a vehicle linked to Interswitch at the scene of an incident on the Third Mainland bridge yesterday afternoon cc:

    “We would like to categorically state that while the vehicle belongs to a former member of our staff, the driver of the vehicle was a first responder, who stopped to assist with rescue. No Interswitch staff jumped into the lagoon as being erroneously speculated.”

    Lagos State Police Command also yesterday said it had commenced investigation into the report.

    Command’s Spokesman, Chike Oti, a Superintendent (SP) told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that though the police had not received any official report, they were already making efforts to find out the true story.

    “There is no official report yet. It is the news making the rounds. However, our rescue team is searching, divers and Marine policemen are working. Investigation is ongoing, findings will be made public please,” he said.

  • Minister hails artifacts’ rescuers

    Minister hails artifacts’ rescuers

    Minister of Information and Culture Alhaji Lai Mohammed has assured artifacts’ rescuers of the Federal Government’s cooperation.

    Mohammed, who spoke in Abuja yesterday when members of the

    association visited him in his office, said: “I want to thank you for the role you have played in ensuring that our artifacts are retrieved and I want to say it publicly that we are ready to cooperate and work with you in terms that will be mutually acceptable to all the parties.

    “We recognise that we need you to achieve our own mandate and aspirations and at the same time, you also need us as the repository of the cultural heritage of the country.”

    Mohammed, who said the illegal trafficking of artifacts remains a bane of the nation’s quest to leverage on its heritage and drive tourism, lauded the critical role being played by the association to reverse the trend.

    “One of the major challenges we face is the illegal exportation, illegal trafficking of our cultural heritage in form of artifacts. Therefore, when you have an organisation like yours that voluntarily charges itself with the responsibility of ensuring that such artifacts are retrieved and returned, I think you deserve nothing but encouragement and praise for your nationalism and patriotism,” he said.

    The association’s President, Mr. George Agbo, hailed the minister for his commitment to re-positioning the tourism sector in Nigeria.

    “I want to tell you that on behalf of our association, we share your dream of re-positioning tourism in Nigeria. We are vendors of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments and our primary aim is to rescue our artifacts and heritage for the museums,” he said.

    Agbo said the association, which was registered in 2001, has 321 members across the country.

    Also present at the meeting were the Directors General of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Mallam Yusuf Abdallah; National Gallery of Arts Abdullahi Muku; Centre For Black and African Arts and

     

  • India landslide: Rescuers race to find survivors as toll rises

    Rescue workers in western India are working to locate survivors of a landslide that has claimed at least 30 lives and buried up to 200 people. Eight people have been rescued from the wreckage in Malin village, near the city of Pune in Maharashtra state.

    But more than 36 hours after Wednesday morning’s landslide, chances of finding more people alive appear small.

    Officials say rain is hampering efforts to search for scores of people presumed trapped under the mud and debris.

    The landslide hit the village early on Wednesday while people were sleeping. On Thursday, rescuers continued their search through heavy rains, but hopes of finding any more survivors were fading. “Miracles do happen, we will keep looking, but under current conditions it is very, very bleak,” AFP news agency quoted Alok Avasthy, regional commandant of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) at the scene, as saying.

  • Rescuers access pipeline explosion site

    Rescuers access pipeline explosion site

    RESCUERS yesterday gained access to the scene of a pipeline explosion on Ijeododo in Iba Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Lagos State, some 72 hours after the incident.

    A “catway” bridge has been constructed to enable rescuers get to the scene, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said yesterday.

    Fire is, however, still raging at the vandalised pipeline despite the reported switch off of the flow passing through the facility by the Pipelines and Product Marketing Company (PPMC).

    NEMA’s Director General, Mr. Ibrahim Farinloye, had earlier said rescue team comprising NEMA, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Inspector General (IG) of Police special Tax Force on petroleum monitoring were said to have faced a brick wall following a gun duel with the vandals.

    Although the explosion occurred at about 11pm on Monday, Farinloye, told The Nation yesterday that NEMA and NNPC were only able to gain access to the scene at about 2pm.

    He said: “NEMA and NNPC officials reached the source of the pipeline fire at 2:00 pm while construction of Catway Bridge to the point continues to aid movement of specialized fire fighting equipment to the point.

    “The coordinate of fire is N 06.48024, E 003. 25475 degrees while the coverage area is about 6 meters radius of the major fire.

    “There are 4 smaller points. No sign of any casualties at all. There is possibility of stopping the fire by midnight as operations would continue through the night.”

    A police source who pleaded anonymity, told The Nation that some arrests have been made.

    He said: “You know the state command is not in charge of that operation, it is the IG’s special tax force from Force Headquarters who are fighting the battle.

    “I hear some arrests were made but I do not have details.”

    When The Nation visited the scene yesterday, fire fighters from PPMC were seen with their equipment ready. But they could not access the burning pipeline, which is in a thick forest.

    “As you can see, we are working to gain access to the place. The terrain is bad,” said an official who does not want to be named.

    The residents are angry because the community has been plunged into darkness.

    The power line passes through the pipeline’s right of way, making power outage the collateral damage each time fire breaks out from a vandalised pipeline.

    “Now we have to spend the Christmas and New Year holidays in darkness,” said a resident, Soji Ilori, “we may not have light in the next five months.”

    The residents denied reports accusing them of harbouring vandals, adding that they have enough motivation to want to fight vandalism if adequately empowered.

    “If you live here, the only thing that gives joy is light. When there is no light, there is no joy. So that is enough motivation for us to fight the vandals but as you can see, the place is a swamp. We have appealed for a road to be constructed but government has not done anything,” Ilori said.

    “It is easy for people to talk anyhow. We do not exprience armed robberies here as do some communities in Lagos, can we then say that some members of those communties know the armed robber?”

    A PPMC official said pipeline vandalism would stop when responsible government agencies want it to stop.

    The vandalised spot is reminiscent of unhindered vandalism: a swamp that is polluted with crude oil for as far as the eyes can see, a protruding hose from pipeline through the products are drained, gun cartridges, several 25-litre kegs, and a narrow pathway through which the products are paddled off.

    “Look at the spot and you will understand what I mean. This pathway leads to a place that can be traced, why has that not been done if they seriously want to stop vandalism? The products are sold somewhere also,” the official said.

    “Your pages cannot contain the number of vandalism that occurs daily. This morning, one has happened at Baruwa.”

    “The vandals are inside the bush now laughing at what we are doing. Immediately we fix this pipeline now, they will surely come back. ”