A human rights lawyer representing the four victims of an explosion at the AIRTEL Networks Limited base station at Ikotun Lagos has written to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) seeking sanctions against the major telecoms provider.

In a letter dated 22nd April, 2024, the Lead Counsel for the victims, Dr. Olubunmi Odeniyi urged the telecoms regulator to “Levy appropriate sanctions by way of fines as a deterrence” to others.

The letter was titled “OFFICIAL REPORT/COMPLAINT OF NEGLIGENT AND RECKLESS OPERATION OF AIRTEL AT ITS BASE STATION BTS LAG 767) AT NO. 15/19, ABIODUN IBIDAPO STREET, ASALU BUS-STOP, ABARANJE, IKOTUN, LAGOS STATE ON TUESDAY, 19 MARCH, 2024 CAUSING AN INFERNO RESULTING IN SEVERE LIFE-CHANGING BURNS ON FOUR (4) PEOPLE.”

Odeniyi urged NCC to “Order the immediate closure and cessation of operations at the site to maintain the integrity of the site for appropriate investigation by your Commission and other concerned statutory bodies.”

The human rights lawyer, who stated that “Airtel management have refused to engage the injured in any manner to assuage their desperate medical emergency,” also pleaded with the telecoms regulator to “Direct AIRTEL management to immediately initiate urgent and rehabilitative medical remediation of our Clients.”

The letter reads: “We are Solicitors/Counsel to the four (4 Nos.) innocent passers-by who were severely burned in a fire that broke out at the AIRTEL BASE STATION at No. 15/19, Abiodun Ibidapo Street, Asalu Bus-stop, Abaranje, Ikotun, Lagos State on Tuesday, 19 March, 2024. They are Messrs. FERANMI NURENI OLUWATOBA; SAHEED ADELEKE; FRANKLIN OBADE; and SAHEED RAJI.

“Our Clients were rushed to various hospitals in the vicinity where sporadic and altogether inadequate services are being done hamstrung by the lack of financial capacity by the victims and their families. 

“The cause of the explosion was the reckless manner of operations on the site whereat a welder was welding a tank and a diesel supplier making a delivery of fuel at the same AIRTEL site.

“We have brought this dire situation to the attention of Airtel by our duly acknowledged letter dated 2 April, 2024 but Airtel management have refused to engage the injured in any manner to assuage their desperate medical emergency. Our Clients are currently undergoing intense pain and suffering, discomforts, disfigurement, neglect, losses of income and unplanned daily mounting medical bills.

“Our humble request to your Commission is to pro-actively intervene in the following manner:

1. Order the immediate closure and cessation of operations at the site to maintain the integrity of the site for appropriate investigation by your Commission and other concerned statutory bodies;

2. Direct AIRTEL management to immediately initiate urgent and rehabilitative medical remediation of our Clients;

3. Further direct AIRTEL to promptly and adequately compensate the injured; and

4. Levy appropriate sanctions by way of fines as a deterrence. 

“Our Clients rely on your Commission as their conditions cannot survive with a protracted court litigation which will only favor AIRTEL.”

It was unclear at press time whether Airtel Networks has been notified of the petition.

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