Two Dead, Eight Injured As Lagos Abattoir Fence Collapsed

LAGOS MARCH 10TH (NEWSRANGERS)-Two persons has been confirmed dead from a collapsed fence that happened at the slaughter section of the Lagos State Abattoir at Oko-Oba.

Also,  eight others who were said to have sustained various degrees of injury had been treated at a hospital and discharged.

The  incident was said to have occurred  last Wednesday.

The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Abattoir Police Station, CSP Kenneth Iyayi, confirmed  the incident to journalists on Monday.

Iyayi  said that  only two people died from the incident while eight others sustained various degrees of injury from the collapsed building.

Iyayi said that those that were injured were promptly taken to Merit Hosptal at Oko-Oba and the General Hospital, Ile-Epo in Oke-Odo area of Lagos State for treatment.

A correspondent of the Nigeria News Agency who visited the scene observed that   the debris of the collapsed  fence were yet to be cleared  while the ‘slaughtering of cows’ business was in progress.

Ishiaku Onatunde, a slaughterhouse worker,  told  newsmen on Monday that the incident that occured last Wednesday claiming the lives of people was due to the weakened foundation of the perimeter fence.

“Ideally, the government should have constructed the fence on a strong foundation knowing that we use a lot of water in our daily routine as slaughterers,” he said.

Onatunde said that the workers of the slaughterhouse had  met with the management of the abattoir, Harmony Abattoir Investment Limited,to ask for compensation for the victims  of the collapsed fence

He, however,  said that the managers of the abattoir said that the company  had no resources on ground to compensate the victims.

Also, the  Managing Director of Harmony Abattoir Investment, simply identified  as Mr Bello  confirmed the death of the persons as a result  of the collapsed fence.

Bello, however, said that he could not give more details about the situation, adding that would be done by the Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture.

Meanwhile, the Head of the  Public Affairs Office in the Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Jide Lawal,  could not  give an accurate account of the incident.

He said that he was not authorised to give details  of the incident.

Lawal said that he would have to be authorised by the Commissioner for the  Ministry of Agriculture before he could speak with the press on the matter.

He said that the commissioner  was attending an important state executive meeting when newsmen visited the ministry.

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