Goods, Buildings Worth Millions of Naira Destroyed as Fire Guts Buildings in Lagos Market

Sunday Ehigiator

Goods and building worth millions of naira have been destroyed in a fire outbreak that consumed a four-storey building and another building in Dosumu Market in Idumota area of Lagos State yesterday.

Confirming the incident on X, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service said the fire affected two-storey buildings and another three-storey building. It also stated that firefighters have been deployed to the scene to salvage the situation.

According to the Service, “The fire stations at Ebute Elefun, Ilupeju, and Alausa have deployed resources to mitigate the situation effectively as firefighting operations are ongoing. We urge residents to cooperate with emergency personnel and avoid the area for their safety.

”Tragically, house number 49 has collapsed due to the fire’s intensity and the proximity of buildings. Additionally, the fire has spread to house number 53. Emergency response teams continue to work tirelessly to contain the spread of the fire and protect the surroundings.”

Additional information from traders who pleaded anonymity revealed that the fire began from the four-storey building used as a residential building and shop for the sale of fabrics at about 7:01 a.m. yesterday before it escalated to four buildings at No. 45, No. 47, No. 49A, and No. 49B in Dosunmu Street on the Lagos Island.

Some of the responders at the scene included the LASEMA Response Team at Lekki, alongside LRU Fire, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Federal Firemen, Nigerian Ports Authority Firemen, LASAMBUS officials, LNSC officials, CBD crew, and the Nigeria Police Force.

Group Accuses Adeleke, Legislative Arms of Grand Conspiracy to Collapse Public Service

Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo

Following the extension of service year of the Head of Service, Mr. Samuel Ayanleye Aina, and Accountant-General, Mr. Rasheed Olalere Alabi, in Osun State, a human rights organisation, the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), has accused both the executive and legislative arms of government in the state of a grand conspiracy to collapse the public service.

The state Chairman of the group, Emmanuel Olowu, while addressing a press conference at the NUJ Correspondents’ Chapel yesterday in Osogbo, the state capital, alleged that both arms of government conspired in the bid to continue looting the state treasury.

Olowu noted that the state governor does not have the constitutional power to elongate the tenure of any civil servant, saying the idea of extending the service year of retiring public officers is a stampede of the Public Service Rule 020810.

He said extending the service year would encourage corrupt practices, promoting nepotism and increase in unemployment among the people of the state.

Olowu called on the Governor Ademola Adeleke to apologise to the state civil service for acting in aberration against the Public Service Rules 2011 of the state.

He urged the governor to immediately withdraw the three-year extension of service years given to the Head of Service.

According to him, ‘’The beneficiaries of the governor’s impunity are the Executive Secretary, Mr. Salawu Olatiloye of the Natural and Mineral Resources; Osun State Head of Service, Mr. Samuel Ayanleye Aina, and Osun State Accountant-General, Mr. Rasheed Olalere Alabi.

“We of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) are here to express our deep concern over the continuous disregard of the Public Service Rule by the Governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke. The governor has demonstrated enough discontent for the public service rule by retaining the Head of Service, Mr. Samuel Ayanleye Aina, and the Accountant-General of the state, Mr. Rasheed Olalere Alabi, after reaching their individual’s retirement age.

“While Governor Adeleke approved the extension of the service year of the Head of Service via a letter signed by the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Alhaji Kazeem Akinleye, we have it on good authority that the governor has also decided to retain the state Accountant-General.

“The governor should order all permanent secretaries whose retirements are less than six months and who are yet to submit their letter of retirement as stated in the Public Service Rule to commence the process immediately.

“He should instruct the office of the Head of Service to put his words into mediums of communication within civil service as a letter to deny any plan to extend the year of service of the retiring Permanent Secretaries, including Accountant-General, Auditor-Generals, Surveyor-General, Statistician-General and others.”