1st March, 2011
Two kids identified as Sodiq, 11, and Rasaq, 6, were roasted to death in the early hours of today when fire razed an abandoned shop near the office of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA in Iponri, Lagos State, Southwest Nigeria.
Reports say the kids and their father simply called Alagbada have been squatting in the shop annexed to the Federal Ministry of Works yard which also serves as LASTMA office in Iponri.
P.M.NEWS gathered that LASTMA officials allowed Alagbada and his boys to squat in the shop on humanitarian ground because he resides far away.
It was learnt Mr. Alagbada sells cassettes around the LASTMA office and also washes vehicles to eke out a living.
No one could identify the source of the fire that started about 11.30 last night. Nobody knew where Alagbada was when the fire started and before help could come for the kids, it was too late. The two boys were burnt to death.
An officer of the Iponri Police Division confirmed to P.M.NEWS that the fire incident had been reported at the station. But he declined further comments.
Similarly, the leader of the LASTMA in Iponri office refused to comment on the incident.
As at the time of filing this report, the corpses of the boys were still at the LASTMA office awaiting evacuation to the mortuary.
—Paul Sanusi & Abosede Agboola