Ikeja Cantonment Bomb Blasts: Families Of Victims Stop 9th Anniversary
For the first time since the Ikeja Cantonment bomb blasts in 2002, the ninth anniversary to remember the thousands of victims who lost their lives during the blasts was aborted yesterday by families of the deceased.
The anniversary, which normally holds on 27 January every year as a memorial for those who lost their lives, did not hold on Thursday while the ceremonial laying of wreath at the memorial arcade at the bank of Oke-Afa canal, Ejigbo, Lagos, South West Nigeria, was also aborted.
It was gathered that the families of the deceased stopped the Ejigbo Local Council Development Area, LCDA, from holding the anniversary henceforth, saying that it would bring back the cruel memory of the past and that government did not meet their demands.
A representative of the families of victims, Ola Majekodunmi, said nine years after the incident, the state government was yet to fulfill the promise it made to ensure that the families of the victims were not neglected or left to suffer the painful memories of the incident.
He said the financial package contributed by non-government organisations after the blast was not used for the purpose they were donated.
Majekodunmi lashed out at the excuse given by a government official that the money donated was used to beautify the graves as well as purchase coffins.
He, however, commended the state government for succumbing to the request of the victims’ families to stop the yearly wreath laying ceremony near the canal site, saying that it brought back painful memories to the people bereaved.
Speaking yesterday, the Chairman of the Ejigbo LCDA,Kehinde Bamigbetan said the council’s intention to turn the graveyard to a tourist centre was oppossed by relatives of the victims even after series of meetings held with them to see reason with the idea.
He said the council would forward to the state government, the names of twelve divers who rescued some persons alive and recovered the corpses, saying they would undergo training as divers’ instructors which could be vital for future occurrences.
Bamigbetan, however, disclosed that Governor Babatunde Fashola had approved the construction of the Ejigbo- Ajao Estate Link Bridge in memory of the victims of the bomb blasts.
According to him, the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure is spearheading the construction of the bridge expected to cost over N2.8 billion, saying that the final design had also been approved.
he bridge would run from the canal where the victims lost their lives over to Ajao Estate; that is the concept of the bridge, When completed, you would be able to move from Ejigbo through Ajao to link the airport road to Oshodi. The idea is that if there had been a bridge, those who died would not have needed to go into the water, they would have taken the bridge.
For the first time since the Ikeja Cantonment bomb blasts in 2002, the ninth anniversary to remember the thousands of victims who lost their lives during the blasts was aborted yesterday by families of the deceased.
The anniversary, which normally holds on 27 January every year as a memorial for those who lost their lives, did not hold on Thursday while the ceremonial laying of wreath at the memorial arcade at the bank of Oke-Afa canal, Ejigbo, Lagos, South West Nigeria, was also aborted.
It was gathered that the families of the deceased stopped the Ejigbo Local Council Development Area, LCDA, from holding the anniversary henceforth, saying that it would bring back the cruel memory of the past and that government did not meet their demands.
A representative of the families of victims, Ola Majekodunmi, said nine years after the incident, the state government was yet to fulfill the promise it made to ensure that the families of the victims were not neglected or left to suffer the painful memories of the incident.
He said the financial package contributed by non-government organisations after the blast was not used for the purpose they were donated.
Majekodunmi lashed out at the excuse given by a government official that the money donated was used to beautify the graves as well as purchase coffins.
He, however, commended the state government for succumbing to the request of the victims’ families to stop the yearly wreath laying ceremony near the canal site, saying that it brought back painful memories to the people bereaved.
Speaking yesterday, the Chairman of the Ejigbo LCDA,Kehinde Bamigbetan said the council’s intention to turn the graveyard to a tourist centre was oppossed by relatives of the victims even after series of meetings held with them to see reason with the idea.
He said the council would forward to the state government, the names of twelve divers who rescued some persons alive and recovered the corpses, saying they would undergo training as divers’ instructors which could be vital for future occurrences.
Bamigbetan, however, disclosed that Governor Babatunde Fashola had approved the construction of the Ejigbo- Ajao Estate Link Bridge in memory of the victims of the bomb blasts.
According to him, the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure is spearheading the construction of the bridge expected to cost over N2.8 billion, saying that the final design had also been approved.
he bridge would run from the canal where the victims lost their lives over to Ajao Estate; that is the concept of the bridge, When completed, you would be able to move from Ejigbo through Ajao to link the airport road to Oshodi. The idea is that if there had been a bridge, those who died would not have needed to go into the water, they would have taken the bridge.
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