Residents of Emmanuel Okonne Crescent, New London Estate, Baruwa inside, Ipaja Ayobo, in Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State, have raised the alarm over the construction of a filling station in the community.
The residents lamented that their lives and properties might be at risk if the construction of the filling station is completed.
gathered that the owner of the filling station, Alhaji Umar Muhammed, had told the community that he intended to build a supermarket on the portion of land by the roadside but reports emerged that he planned to construct a filling station.
One of the residents, Fred Adanyi, explained, “He told us he wanted to build a supermarket. And then we asked him to go ahead. Shortly after, we started to hear that he had another intention other than what he told us.
“So we started making our findings. We called him, and he denied it. Then, on December 31, 2022, we learned that tanks were brought in at night and that the same tank was buried on the construction site at night. This is how we began to suspect his true motive.
”But because we are law-abiding Nigerians, We don’t want to take laws into our own hands. We started reporting him to the authorities. We want the government to take action. How can a filling station be built inside a residential area?”
Another resident, identified simply as Abass, noted that the community had been a victim of a devastating gas explosion in the past.
“The gas explosion that happened very close to where the man is building a petrol station claimed over 20 lives and destroyed properties worth hundreds of millions, which the community is still battling to recover from. Should we still allow the community to wait till another explosion happens before we begin to take action?” Abass said.
At a Tuesday meeting held by the representatives of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency to prevent any breakdown of the law, Muhammed said he informed some of the community members when he decided to change the construction plan into a filling station.
“I told some of the members when we decided to change the construction plan from a supermarket into a filling station. I don’t want to mention names, but I told them about it. I intended to come and see the executive members to apologize,” Muhammed explained.
The LASEPA team, led by one Oyedele Sunday, said, “LASEPA is not an approving authority in this case. We are not the Department of Petroleum Resources and Physical Planning. And if the DPR can give them approval, you have to invite them and ask them why they approved.”
