Who permitted a filling station to be built in a residential area?That is a question no one seems to know among residents in Emmanuel Okonne Crescent, New London Estate, Baruwa inside, Ipaja Ayobo, in Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State.
Despite raising the alarm over the construction of a filling station in the community, no one knows who gave Alhaji Umar Muhammed the right to build a petrol station close to their homes, exposing families to the danger of the proximity to flammable fuel.
It was gathered that the filling station’s owner had initially proposed building a supermarket but has switched plans from his original intent.
At a Tuesday meeting held between the residents and representatives of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), Muhammed said some of the residents in the estate knew he was no longer building a supermarket.
“I told some 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.
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In response to the community, the LASEPA team, led by 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 approve, you have to invite them and ask them why they approved.”
The residents lamented that their lives and properties might be at risk if the construction of the filling station is completed.
An estate resident, Abass, mentioned that the community had experienced a gas explosion in the same spot where Muhammed was building the filling station, and the petrol station will only open old scars of the devastating incident.
“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.
So the question still remains unanswered: Who permitted Muhammed to build a petrol station? “
