For the residents of Olorunkemi community in Oluyole Local Government Area of Oyo State, Armageddon came on Wednesday, May 5, 2010. It came unsuspectingly in form of an oil tanker parked on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Elekuru, Academy, Ibadan.
Its content soon to overran houses, vehicles and people in the neighbourhood at about 4.00p.m, when another trailer ran into it from the rear, causing it to somersault into a ditch and spilling its content in the process.
The spilled content found its way into a major street at the side of the road, consuming the houses it met on its way, as well as on other adjoining streets. Two school children, a boy and a girl, were burnt beyond recognition in the evening inferno, while about 40 houses, 15 shops and 20 vehicles were torched.
Sympathizers and victims of the incident wept as they watched helplessly their valuables being razed by the raging fire. Daily Sun learnt that a burial ceremony for one of the community’s prominent opinion leader,a who had died some days before, was going on, when the incident occurred.
This, according to an eye witness accounted for the high number of vehicles burnt by the inferno, as cars were packed in a manner that made quick escape from the scene a difficult task. Traffic at Academy end of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway came to a standstill with motorists abandoning their vehicles far from the scene to avoid being torched.
Unfortunately, while some of the victims tried to salvage their property from the fire, some hoodlums took advantage of the situation to steal goods. A victim who simply identified himself as Mutiu said: “Two boys came to assist me while I was trying to remove some instruments from my shop. But they took advantage of my disability to run away with my two generators. I saw them when they were running but I could not run after them because of my bad leg.”
A community leader, Alhaji Sulaimon Alayande, described the incident as very unfortunate. He blamed the driver of the tanker for packing on the highway: “Perhaps, if the driver had not parked on that side, there would not be this ugly incident today. It could have been avoided.
“My brother, more than 40 houses were burnt today, more than 15 vehicles, there are shops that got burnt, and some other things that we don’t even know for now. There are reported cases of theft ,TV sets, radio sets, generators many other valuables were stolen. So, if you put that together it should be around N50 billion.”
Alayande also blamed the Oyo State Fire Service for alleged incompetence to handle the situation. He said although the fire fighters were informed in good time about the incident, “they didn’t get here until after more than one and a half hours. When they eventually got here, they claimed that they did not have enough water to tackle the situation.
The water they eventually got finished in the course of trying to quench the fire. Their service is too poor.” But, more painful to the community was that more than 24 hours after the incident, the chairman of the local government, Alhaji Abedeen Salami, did not show up to commiserate with them and assess the impact and extent of the damage, let alone promise any assistance.
“We learnt that the governor was away in Abuja, but what of the chairman of the council who is closer to the people?” A community leader queried. The community leader appealed to Governor,Adebayo Alao-Akala to come to the aid of the victims by assisting in rebuilding the houses and rehabilitating the displaced.
They also advised that government should put in place a law banning heavy duty vehicles, especially petrol tankers from parking on the highways.
"Those who will say nothing in the face of tyranny must endure the rule of idiots . All that you need for evil to triumph is for the good people to keep quiet and do nothing".
Posted: at 14-05-2010 10:23 AM (13 years ago) | Hero
"Those who will say nothing in the face of tyranny must endure the rule of idiots . All that you need for evil to triumph is for the good people to keep quiet and do nothing".
Posted: at 15-05-2010 04:22 PM (13 years ago) | Hero
Bazemaster at 15-05-2010 08:33 PM (13 years ago) (m)
Chie!!
I report from ma BAZEHOOD, niggaz feeling ma BAZESWAG 'cos it's hooded like my nigga HOODEDSWAG coming from BAZESQUAD in da BAZESTUDIOS UNITED.... I AM BAZEMASTER
Posted: at 15-05-2010 08:33 PM (13 years ago) | Gistmaniac
"Those who will say nothing in the face of tyranny must endure the rule of idiots . All that you need for evil to triumph is for the good people to keep quiet and do nothing".
Posted: at 16-05-2010 05:11 PM (13 years ago) | Hero
waco
Agatex
princedafe
chudy1800
Rolinppp
jimmyfontana
Bazemaster
iyke1
i feel sorry 4 d victims 
Enockia
The-s-man
kison
TRENDING GISTS 
Gunmen Kill One, Abduct Seven Along Sagamu-Ijebu-Ode Expressway
VIDEO: Skitmaker, Erekere Shows Off His Newly Acquired Benz GLE
BREAKING: Vice President Shettima Cancels Summit Trip To US Over Faulty Aircraft
How British Charity Employed Nigerian Man, Peter Omoruyi Convicted For Sex Trafficking In France