In the wake of a frenzy of arson attacks and looting in Lagos after the infamous killing of #EndSARS protesters in the Lekki area of the state, the Lagos State government has announced plans to offer succour to businesses and traders that were affected during the looting and arson attacks.
Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Obafemi Hamzat, who made the announcement on Twitter, wrote that “if you are a Lagos-based business and your store got looted/vandalized this week, please fill this form.
” Let’s do what we can to support you.”
Hamzat also announced an online portal where owners of the affected portal can complete the Form to request assistance.
While he did not disclose the specific source or amount of funds set aside by the state government to assist those who suffered massive losses from the arson and other attacks, it is estimated that properties lost in the attacks are in the region of billions of naira. Incidentally, a former governor of the state and frontline politician, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, is believed to be a major casualty of the arson attacks that swept Lagos after the Lekki killings, with his media establishments located in the state, TVC and the nation newspaper, invaded and set on fire by the arsonists.
In a related development, the Lagos State government has also revealed that it would cost at least a trillion naira (about 2.2 billion dollars) to replace properties and infrastructure lost to arson attacks and the looting frenzy that swept through the state in the wake of the anger among residents over the killing of #EndSARS protesters in the Lekki area of the state last week.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives,Femi Gbajabiamila, who echoed the figure during a visit to the Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, at the weekend, said the governor revealed the estimated cost of the rehabilitation to him after he made enquiries in that regard.
Said Gbajabiamila: “The governor was telling me just now that it was going to cost about a trillion naira to rebuild Lagos. That makes my heart heavy. And I asked the governor ‘what’s the budget of Lagos State? What are you planning?’ And he told me that they’re planning a budget of about a trillion naira.” he said.
Aside the massive arson attacks visited on the media holdings of Lagos ex-governor Tinubu, 89 new buses of the Lagos State Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) were also burnt down in the Oyingbo and Berger areas of the state, where they were parked, among other public properties. Each of the buses, according to the state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, costs about $200,000 to purchase.
Looters also invaded the palace of the traditional King (Oba) of Lagos but did not burn down the historical edifice. The mother and other family members of the Lagos State governor, Sanwo-Olu, were not so lucky, as the governor’s family home located in the Lagos Island area of the state was torched by arsonists.
Additionally, the multi-million naira state forensic and DNA Centre, the Igbosere High Court, local government secretariat buildings along with hundreds of vehicles parked within them, other public buildings scattered across the state, street lights and numerous public infrastructure were also looted or burnt.