BY MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO
BARELY eight months after
the Dana plane crash, in Ojokoro Local Council
Development Area (LCDA),
armed robbers have turned
the crash site into a hideout.
Although the state
government has barricaded
site, rubble from the
destroyed structures have
not been removed and
weeds have overgrown the
once upon a residential area.
It will be recalled that over
153 persons died on June 3,
2012 when the ill-fated flight
crashed into a two-storey
building on 12 Olaniyi Street.
Vanguard gathered that
residents of the area are
now gripped by fear of
attack from the robbers, who
hide in the site at night.
It was also learnt that the
bad state of the road which
hinders vehicular movement
is also aiding robbers in
perpetuating their nefarious
acts.
Mrs. Bashir, a resident of
Olaniyi Street said that her
son was attacked by the
robbers while on his way to
board the early morning
train.
According to her, “Since my
son was attacked, we have
stopped leaving our home
before 6:00 am. We are
gripped by the fear of the
robbers always.”
Engr. Adeleke Matthew,
another resident, decried the
poor state of the site, saying
“it has contributed to
insecurity in the community.”
Matthew noted that the
government was not doing
anything to improve the
state of the crash site and
the roads.
Chairman Akande Community
Development Association,
(CDA), Mr. Adewale Oriowo
said: “It is true that anyone
who passes through the site
at night or before 6:00 am
would be attacked by the
robbers. At this time, the
crash site is always dark.
“In fact, over four residents
have been attacked. When
the robbers are through
with their nefarious acts,
they hide in the crash site.
And due to the present state
of the site, no one will be
bold to go inside to confront
the robbers. The state of the
site gives the robbers
opportunity to see anyone
trekking along the street
while those outside wouldn’t
be privileged to see them.”
The chairman of the CDA
lamented that “none of the
roads in the community is
motorable. The state
government has neglected
Akande, a community on the
border line between Lagos
and Ogun state.”
Commissioner for Economic
Planning and Budget, Mr. Ben
Akabueze had during the
2013 budget analysis said
the government would
within the year rehabilitate
the network of roads linking
the site of the Dana Plane
Crash.
Oriowo continued, “We are
hoping that the roads will be
done this year as said by the
commissioner. Previously
what has been sustaining
the road was the yearly
contribution of N5, 000 from
the each landlord.”

SR