A Human Rights Lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN has written to Honourable Justice M.A. Dada, The Chief Coroner, High Court of Lagos State, Ikeja, requesting “FOR INQUEST INTO THE TRAGIC DEATH OF 17 PERSONS AT THE ADO AREA OF AMUWO ODOFIN, LAGOS ON SUNDAY, MARCH 16, 2020”.

In a letter signed by the learned silk himself dated 18th day of March, 2020, and made available to TheNigeriaLawyer (TNL), Falana says:

“On Sunday, March 15, 2020 an explosion rocked Ado in the Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State. The explosion led to an inferno which killed 17 people and destroyed about 50 houses.

“We are aware that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has blamed the explosion on “gas explosion which occurred after a truck hit some gas cylinders stacked in a gas processing plant located near the corporation’s system 2B Pipeline Right of Way.” We have however confirmed that the resulting fire later spread to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) oil pipeline passing through the area which aggravated the explosion.

“In the light of the foregoing, we request you to use your good offices to cause a coroner’s inquest to be conducted into the cause of the said explosion and make appropriate recommendations pursuant to Section 15 of the Lagos State Coroner’s Law 2007 which provides that an inquest shall hold whenever a Coroner is informed that the death of a deceased person within his District was a result of death “in a violent, unnatural or suspicious situation.

“Please accept the assurances of our highest esteem.

“Yours sincerely,

FEMI FALANA, SAN, FCI Arb.”