The Vote for Service Initiative, a good governance and human rights
advocacy group, has issued a seven-day ultimatum to Governor Babatunde
Fashola to arrest and prosecute Temitope Joshua, popularly known as T.B
Joshua, the founder of The Synagogue Church of All Nations.
In a
letter dated September 25 and addressed to the Lagos State governor, the
group also asked the state government to make public the outcome of its
investigation into the cause of the collapsed building.
The
group also accused the state government of delaying investigations into
the collapsed building based on “the mantra of ‘Touch not my Anointed.’”
“We
are Vote for Service Initiative. We like to remind your good office
that, it was in this state your attorney general and commissioner for
justice prosecuted and convicted Rev. King to death by hanging for
(killing) one of his devotees with ignited fire.
“It is also the
same attorney general office that prosecuted recently Mr. Arowolo to
death by hanging for killing his wife with knife and cudgel, how much
more the man that (killed) over 115 souls through criminal negligence
and brazen impunity,” the group said.
The letter’s four-point
demand also called on Mr. Fashola to issue a public apology to the
people of Lagos State for the late implementation of Section 74 of the
Physical Planning Law of Lagos State, as well as compensate the victims
affected by the incident.
“Failure to which we will be left with
no other option than to approach the competent court of jurisdiction for
an order of mandamus for your good office to implement the law you
signed in 2010 without delay,” the letter added.
A five-storey
building inside the church’s premises in Ikotun, Lagos, collapsed on
September 12 as three additional floors were being added to the original
two-storey structure.
Eight-six dead bodies were recovered from
the rubble and 131 rescued, according to the National Emergency
Management Agency, NEMA.
On Monday, Jeff Radebe, a South African minister, said that 115 people, including 84 South Africans, died in the incident.
Both
the Lagos State government and the Nigerian Institute of Building have
stated that the church did not get an approval before embarking on fresh
construction on the collapsed building.
However, earlier this
week, the Lagos State government announced it had suspended
investigation into the cause of the building collapse.
Lateef
Ibirogba, the state Commissioner for Information, said the outcome of
their investigation would be withheld pending the outcome of another
committee set up by the federal government.
In their letter, the
group described the situation as “laughable,” adding that the Lagos
State Law on Regional and Physical Planning and Urban Development 2010
as amended had already spelt out government action after a building
collapse.
The section, according to Mr. Ilori, stated that “any
collapsed building in the state due to the negligence of owner or
developer, such land shall be confiscated by that state through the
ministry in charge.”
“In view of the above quoted relevant
portion of the law, an attendant fact that the said collapsed building
was due to the criminal negligence of the owner/church in charge as
represented by the leader Prophet T.B Joshua or his representatives…
“Having
clarified from all other relevant agents of the ministry of physical
planning like LASBCA, surveyor institutes and others that no record
related to approval or otherwise of the collapsed building, it is
incumbent on your good office or/and your approved ministry to have
implemented the relevant section of the law as stated above,” the letter
said.
Source
https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/168662-group-issues-7-day-ultimatum-to-governor-fashola-to-arrest-prosecute-
No comments:
Post a Comment