RIGHTS-NIGERIA: Aid Trickling in for the Survivors of Bomb Blast

By Toye Olori Reprint | | Print |

Toye Olori

LAGOS, Feb 2 2002 (IPS) - Aid has begun trickling in for the more than 5,000 survivors of the Sunday’s bomb blast in Nigeria’s biggest city, Lagos.

The blast, caused by ammunition dump explosions at Ikeja army barracks, has resulted in the death of more than 1,000 people. So far, the Red Cross says it has reunited 1,303 children with their parents, since Sunday.

The first international donations and assistance came from the Algerian government, which sent 35 medical personnel and relief materials made up mostly of medical supplies.

Dubem Onyia, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, said the Nigerian government and the survivors of the blast, “are highly touched by the swiftness and spontaneity with which their brothers in Algeria have reacted to the calamity”.

President Olusegun Obasanjo cancelled a trip to the United States this week to attend to the crisis. He launched a Disaster Relief Fund, and appealed for assistance for the survivors of the blast, Wednesday.

Onyia said the donation “demonstrates Algeria’s adherence to our African tradition of solidarity in good and in bad times”.

Other countries and institutions, including Ghana, South Africa and the United Nations, also have sent messages of condolence to President Obasanjo and Nigerians following the incident.

In his message, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan expressed shock and grief over the losses resulting from the incident, and promised that the United Nations would provide any assistance it could to Nigeria.

The UN office for Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has announced that a three-member disaster assessment and co- ordination team would be deployed to Lagos to determine the needs arising from the disaster.

It also has authorised the disbursement of 30 million U.S. dollars in grant to assist in recovery efforts in Lagos.

In his message, President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa offered to assist Nigeria within his country’s limited resources, in getting over the tragic incident.

In sympathy with the survivors of the blast, medical and health workers, who have been on strike for about two months, suspended their industrial action Thursday to lend a helping hand.

The Medical and Health Workers Union in Abuja, capital of Nigeria, directed its members in Lagos to immediately commence service to the survivors of the blast, pending further directives.

“As we mourn the dead and strive to contain the epidemics that might occur if the situation is not professionally handled, we call upon government to take care of the injured, the mentally depressed and the dislocated to alleviate their sufferings,” said the union in a statement this week.

Nigerians also donated food, water, clothing, bedding, and medical supplies for the displaced. Two temporary shelters have been constructed to house the teeming refugees made up mostly of soldiers and members of their family.

In a twist of event, the soldiers have accused senior military officers of diverting aid and, as a form of punishment, they have been barred from talking to journalists.

“People whose houses were not burnt are the ones receiving aid. We are yet to receive anything. Government must find a way of getting the aid to the genuine victims,” says Mary, wife of a surviving soldier.

Ben Bruce, Director General of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) said: “The present distribution method is faulty because it is not addressing the fundamental problems of the victims. The problem we have is that relief materials get stuck with the military officers (and) that is why there is resentment towards the government”.

Following the allegations, Stella Obasanjo, wife of the Nigerian president, on behalf of her “Child Welfare Trust” Thursday, directed that her donation be distributed block by block within the barracks to the survivors.