The Divisional Police Officer in charge of the Ikotun division, CSP
Haruna Alaba, has told the coroner at the ongoing inquest into the collapsed
building at The Synagogue Church Of All Nations (SCOAN) that the possibility of
sabotage against the church has not been ruled out as one of the possible
causes of the incident that left more than 100 people dead.
According to the Chief Superintendent of Police,
going by the documented evidence he had seen, including the CCTV security
footage of the collapsed building, it was possible that the building could have
been bombed or demolished using explosives. These suspicions, he said, are
still being thoroughly investigated to ensure that the true cause of the
collapse is ascertained.
Speaking further, the DPO also observed that on the
fateful day of the incident, an aircraft flying at a very low altitude had been
sighted close to the building shortly before it went down like a pack of cards.
Though, he agreed that it was not unusual to see aircraft flying above the
Ikotun area due to its proximity to the airport, he however pointed out that
the aircraft sighted on the day of the incident was flying unusually low such
that even the police radio room went on air to announce the strange occurrence
prior to the collapse.
While undergoing cross-examination by counsel to
the Lagos State Government, Akingbolahon Adeniran, the DPO explained that
despite the near-pandemonium that was witnessed on the day of the incident as a
result of massive crowd, he and his men were able to achieve their goal of
ensuring the enabling environment for the various rescue operators to carry out
their duties.
This submission contradicted the account of the
General Manager of LASEMA, Dr. Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, which suggested that
he and his team were assaulted and that the police did not help them in the
discharge of their statutory duties. According to DCP Alaba, it was true that
he and his men had a hectic time controlling the crowd which had built up
around the entrance to the church, the development did not stop them from
ensuring a hitch-free rescue operation.
He further observed that there were instances when
people who could not properly identify themselves were barred from entering the
premises, citing the fact that the measure helped in preventing the influx of
criminals, hoodlums and other miscreants who could have seized the emergency
situation to carry out their nefarious activities.
He said: “I am surprised that the LASEMA boss
claimed that he was assaulted or was not given an enabling environment to
operate. That’s not true. We worked together and he never once complained to me
during or after the operation that he was hindered.
“My men were solely responsible for the admittance
and rejection of personalities into the scene of incident. The church members
didn’t constitute any nuisance as speculated in some quarters. What some fail
to remember is that there is a market beside the church and that the street the
church is located is a public place. Also, the government agencies only brought
one excavator that I am aware only worked for a few hours before it packed up.
It was Julius Berger who came to the rescue by moving in with heavy duty
machines.”
He further added, “The police would not rule out
the issue of sabotage because bombs could have been planted anywhere, including
air conditioners. We will also investigate the issue of the plane because on
that particular day, we got several complaints from our control room about the
appearance of aircrafts flying too low for comfort. It created quite a panic
among the residents”.
The presiding magistrate adjourned proceedings
until Wednesday, 19th November, noting that Prophet T.B. Joshua
would be expected in court the following day on Thursday.
NB:Nosa Osazuwa from Lagos, Nigeria, was
present during the court proceedings...
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