Otedola tanker explosion: Lagos identifies victims, hands over bodies to families today

Lagos State Government, yesterday, said through DNA forensic analysis, the bodies of the nine persons who got burnt beyond recognition in the Otedola tanker fire explosion that occurred on June 28, 2018 have been identified and matched to their families.

As a result of this, Commissioner for Health, Jide Idris said the state government would hand over the bodies of the victims to the rightful families today for burial arrangements.

“Nine bodies have been successfully matched to nine families out of the 11 families that showed up and are ready to be handed over to them.

Collection of the remains will commence from 10am, July 28 at the seminar room of the Pathology and Forensic Medicine Department of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja.”

Meanwhile, the state governor, Akinwunmi Ambode yesterday expressed his commitment to providing critical infrastructure and an enabling environment for investors to participate in the ongoing efforts to rev up water transportation, saying the sector remains critical to solving the traffic congestion affecting the state.

Speaking at a roundtable on water transportation, he said though the sector had been left unattended to over the years, they are now committed to fully harnessing the potentials to the benefit of the people.

He said the chaotic traffic situation in recent times and the pressure on the roads with attendant danger to lives and property made the need to forge ahead with the reforms in the water sector being championed by his administration even more compelling.

He said it was instructive to note that being surrounded by water, many parts of the state could be connected within few minutes, adding that major channelization projects, shoreline protection and jetties, among others were currently being constructed as part of efforts to boost the sector.