4 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2022
Vanguard, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2022 — 5 POCKET CARTOON Floods: Panic as corpses float in Bayelsa, Delta cemeteries •Bomadi, Burutu, Patani LGAs sacked •Victims sleep on Bomadi Bridge•As CAN, Ibori, indigenes appeal to state govt, political leaders for help By Dapo Akinrefon, Festus Ahon, Chancel Sunday, Levinus Nwabughiogu, Emem Idio & Ochuko Akuopha LAGOS — As floods continue to ravage most parts of the country, residents of Aeroplane Road in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State and Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta have raised the alarm over floating corpses from a submerged cemeteries in their areas. This came as several communities in Bomadi, Patani and Burutu local government areas of Delta State were yesterday sacked by the ravaging flood, with indigenes sleeping on top of Bomadi Bridge. Vanguard had reported yesterday that this year’s flood is perhaps the worst in Nigeria’s history, with over 603 dead, two million displaced and hundreds of hectares of farmlands destroyed. Corpses litter Bayelsa, Delta communities Raising alarm yesterday over the health implication of floating corpses in their community, residents of Yenagoa in Bayelsa called on the state government for immediate action to avoid public health crisis. Confirming the incident, a resident, Mr Emmanuel Oden, lamented that the floating corpses had become a recurring development during floods, adding that relocation of the cemetery is long overdue. Oden further alleged that corpses at the cemetery were often buried in shallow graves of about 3 feet, rather than the recommended six feet prescribed by law. Another resident Mr. Ebi Owoupele, pleaded with the Bayelsa State Government to understand the plight of the people and assure them that the cemetery will be relocated. Vanguard’s findings also revealed that the morgue at Bomadi General Hospital and Olodiama, had been submerged, also with floating corpses as a result. Bayelsa govt reacts Contacted, the state commissioner for environment and chairman, Bayelsa Flood Committee, Mr. Iselema Gbaranbiri, confirmed that three floating corpses were recovered and reburied From left, Senator Gbenga Ashafa, former Ogun State Governor, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, Barrister Adesegun Ajibola, representative of the Pro- Chancellor, Alhaji Salisu Abdu Magayakin and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ibraheem Gbajabiamila at the 14th convocation ceremony of Crescent University, Abeokuta last Saturday. Photo by Wumi Akinola. with the environment properly fumigated. His words, “the floating of corpses were actually reported. First one, as commissioner for environment, I got the report of a floating corpse and directed my head of health and sanitation to get the corpse reburied. Later two more corpses were recovered and reburied and the environment was properly fumigated.” Bomadi, Burutu, Patani LGAs sacked More disaster was recorded in parts of Delta State yesterday as many villages in riverine Bomadi, Patani and Burutu local government areas of the state were sacked by floods, with indigenes sleeping on Bomadi Bridge. They appealed to the state government and political leaders to come to their aid. Lamenting the situation in his community, chairman, Bomadi federated community, Mr Seleyeibo Perekeme, said neither government nor political leaders from the area had responded to their call for help. He said: “The entire Bomadi Local Government area is submerged, with only the council secretariat still standing because of community efforts. “We’ve been able to dislodge the flood by blocking entry points with sand-filled sacks at the community waterfront through our earlier efforts. Now, the flood level has risen and we’ve been making similar efforts but we’ve run out of resources as a community. “So, we’ve been calling on our political leaders to help since Bomadi is the last community standing and victims are fleeing in from neighbouring communities, such as Kpakiama, Oboro, Esanma, Tuomo, Tubegbe, Koloware, Ogboin-ama and many others in both Burutu and Patani council areas. Many victims are fleeing from Yenagoa to Bomadi. We need N2m to save Bomadi town from submerging— Community chair “If we can get N2 million, we can buy sand and sacks and be able to block entry points along the length of the community shoreline because the youths are ready to work to save Bomadi. “But, until this moment, there’s no response from either the state government or our political leaders at a time of pains and distress as this. We are not happy because we seem to have been forgotten or abandoned,” he said. An activist and youth leader, Comrade Kenneth Mezeh, however, lauded efforts of the community By Esther Onyegbula leader and appealed to both state government and political representatives to respond to the plight of victims in Bomadi local government area and environs. However, the chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Bomadi local government chapter, Apostle Liberty Usiayo, in his reaction, said: “We have been going round the council area to see the level of flood devastation on the people and property, and the situation is really pathetic. “No community is safe in the council area as all eleven communities have been ravaged, with women and children seriously affected. They need immediate food and medical attention. “It’s also appalling that until this moment, there’s no government response to the plight of victims in the council area and we, as a body, urge the state government, appropriate agencies and politicians from the area to respond to the plight of victims without further delay. Ibori seeks support for victims Reacting to the Continues on Page 27 Discovery of illegal oil tapping points on NNPC pipelines THIS has been going on for ages. The Navy is under-resourced to cope with what should be its forte-national maritime security. I am not convinced about the discovery made by Tompolo’s security company discovered a boat stealing crude oil last week. For all, we know it may be that the boat did not pay royalties to Tompolos men. —Barrister Famakinwa, Uk-Based lawyer THE issue of bunkering is like a normal thing to me because the federal government has failed in its mandate to do the right thing. The best way the government can tackle bunkering is by getting our refineries working. When this happens, there will be more job opportunities for the people. —Emmanuel Ikule, Human rights activist WHY do we like to d e c e i v e ourselves like this? Where were security operatives when the pipes were being laid? Let us agree that they were off duty for the days it took the bunkers to lay the pipe, why are they just discovering the illegal oil tapping points? —Folake Sokoya, Entrepreneur THE discovery of over 58 illegal oil tapping points on the nation’s oil pipelines is highly condemnable. The Nigerian government should take more proactive steps in engaging the stakeholders in the private sector and the host communities. The more engagement with the relevant stakeholders, the more they identify the challenges and possible lasting solutions. —Jude Attah, Fashion Designer LACK of fear of God, patriotism and weak government institutions is responsible for this mess. If the government is serious about stopping fuel bunkering, they should install surveillance cameras along the pipeline and use modern drones powered by solar alongside helicopters to monitor the area rather than giving billions of Naira to non-state actors the contract to protect it. —Isaac Jideofor, Farmer Govt should try to address the problem from the root and check out these really smart guys who vandalized and tapped oil from the pipelines. It’s just like hackers that hack accounts and steal people’s money, what the bank does is trace those kind of people it’s to pull them to the bank and employ them and pay them well and they will give you all the secrets of other oil bunkers. —Ejifoma Becky , Public Relations consultant
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