Lagos shuts 12 houses as Police uncover illegal oil wells
Steve Ayorinde (right) and others watch as diesel is being
drawn from a well where illegal oil bunkerers were arrested
on Abeokuta Street, Ilasamaja, Isolo, Lagos…yesterday.
• Stations Fire Tanker, Prepares Temporary
Accommodation For Victims
The Lagos State Government on Friday shut 12
houses on Abeokuta and Ibadan Streets in Ilasamaja
area of the State over the discovery of shallow oil
wells built by landlords to illegally scoop diesel
from pipelines belonging to the Nigerian National
Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
The oil wells were said to have been built for the
purpose of illegally scooping diesel and selling same
to members of the public, while some of the
affected landlords built pumping machines and
boreholes to perpetrate the crime on a large scale.
Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr.
Steve Ayorinde, who confirmed this while briefing
newsmen at the Lagos House, Ikeja, said the step to
shut the wells and cordon off the area was taken by
government to forestall the loss of lives and
property as a result of the looming danger.
Ayorinde, who addressed journalists alongside top
government functionaries and the Lagos State
Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, said a
combined team from the police command, the
Ministry of Environment, Lagos State
Environmental Protection Agency, Lagos State Fire
Service and Sole Administrator of Isolo Local
Council Development Area carried out a thorough
inspection of the entire area and discovered
nothing less than 12 of the illegal oil wells.
He said that initial investigation revealed that a few
of the landlords where the wells are located were
taking advantage of the situation by
commercializing the dangerous act.
He said that samples of the substance have been
taken for immediate investigation in order to
determine the true nature of the substance as well
as the root cause of this unusual occurrence.
He said the State Government was working with the
NNPC for further investigation.
Ayorinde said that for the safety of residents,
especially on Abeokuta and Ibadan Streets, the
affected wells have been sealed off, adding that the
government would also work with those who are
likely to be displaced as a result of the development.
“The Lagos State Government wishes to use this
opportunity to remind Lagosians and the residents
of these areas in particular, to assist the police with
useful information and to urge them to always
volunteer information before any potentially
dangerous situation degenerates to public hazard,”
he said.
Also speaking the Commissioner of Police confirmed
the arrest of three suspects in the operation, adding
that a fire tanker has been stationed in the event of
any fire incident.
The men of the Lagos State Police Command in the
area, who were on routine patrol, said they saw a
woman around 12 midnight with a keg of diesel and
when an attempt was made to accost her, she fled, a
development which alerted the police of something
fishy.
The police immediately pursued the woman and
accosted her, after which she eventually took them
to number 12, Abeokuta Street, off Ilasamaja, one of
the houses harbouring the illegal oil wells.
Upon getting to the said house, those inside shut the
door and prevented the police from gaining
entrance.
The officers thereafter left the scene with the
arrested woman, and they later came back
disguising as potential buyers of diesel, while those
inside opened the door.
It was at that point that the illegal oil well was
discovered at the house, after which about 10 more
wells were discovered in other houses on Abeokuta
and Ibadan streets.
One of the landladies apprehendeded by the Police,
Mrs. Moji Adeshina, on No 10 Abeokuta Street, was
said to have given quit notice to her tenants for
privacy to run her illicit business.
The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command,
Fatai Owoseni, said residents have been advised to
relocate for safety reasons.
Owoseni, who visited the scene of the incident
accompanied by Oluwasanni; Area ‘D’ Commander,
ACP Gyadiayadi Salisu; Rapid Response Squad (RRS)
Commander, ACP Olatunji Disu; the state Police
Public Relations Officer, Dolapo Badmos and the
LASEMA boss, Michael Akindele, in a chat with the
media said: “The Ilasa DPO had gathered
intelligence that some houses had diesel where the
landlords and landladies engaged in illegal oil
business.
“Some of the tenants denied culpability. But how
can they live in the midst of oil and keep quiet. This
is a disaster. If this catches fire, it will be disastrous
because the area is densely populated.
“After now, the Lagos State Government will make
an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to
decide what to do with the diesel found in these
wells.
“Already, the personnel of the Nigerian National
Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) are at the wells to
collect sample and test the quality of the diesel.
“As investigation progresses, we will track the
buyers of the products and also arrest them.
Already, we are ferreting information from the
suspects arrested.”
Mrs. Adesina said: “It is true that they found diesel
in my well but I never sold it. I noticed it three
weeks ago and I haven’t touched it.”
On why she didn’t report to the police and motive
for sending out her tenants, she said, “The house
belongs to my late husband. It was a well we use for
water but later diesel started coming out of it.”
Another suspect, Tajudeen Bamiloye, a landlord of
one of the cordoned off houses, claimed he reported
the incident to the Police.
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