Hello Friends!
This is so sad and these are some of the situations that one cannot explain but let it be...Should I be the one to question God? No Way!
This should however be a lesson to churches/mosques alike...Do a regular check on your properties, especially the fittings and roofs...
Relatives of the victims of Friday’s tragedy at the Retreat Camp of the Deeper Life Bible Church, located at Eyenkorin on the outskirts of Ilorin, Kwara State, on Sunday lamented the deaths of their relatives.
A section of the auditorium’s roof had been blown off by rainstorm on Friday and later collapsed on some worshippers. The worshippers were attending their Easter Retreat.
Seven people were feared dead. Many other worshippers were said to have also been injured while a pastor who was riding on a motorcycle to donate blood for the injured victims collided with a vehicle on his way and later died before he could be rushed to the hospital by sympathisers.
The mourners, who refused to speak to journalists wore long faces, sobbed intermittently and wiped their faces with handkerchiefs.
But one of them, who pleaded anonymity, whose brother was a victim, said the deceased had lofty plans for his siblings.
She said, “This world can be very agonising and devastating. I cannot believe that my brother with whom we came here together is dead. I do not think it is a reality. It must be a dream. This is a big blow not only to me but to the other family members.
“He told me how he was working very hard in his business to ensure that we all get university education, and later to assist us to get good employment or start business after graduation. I cannot understand why we are now going through this ordeal. But God understands better.”
Our correspondent gathered that the church would take care of the burial expenses of the victims.
A family source close to one of the dead victims, who also pleaded anonymity, told some journalists on Sunday that the family was still waiting for the church to confirm the burial date.
He said, “I have spoken with my sister and she told me they cannot do anything now until the church tells them the next line of action.
“You know they have just ended the camp meeting so it is after that, that we can expect them to call us and inform us of the plans. But they have said they will handle the burial.”
Efforts to speak with officials of the church proved abortive as none of them was willing to talk to journalists.
But one of the leaders of the church, who declined to give his name, said it was only the church’s national headquarters that could speak on the incident.
He added that the church’s leaders at the camp met on Sunday for over two hours after the retreat had ended to deliberate on the tragedy.
Policemen and the church security personnel on the premises prevented journalists from taking pictures of the site.
Meanwhile, the Kwara State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ezekiel Dabo, in a telephone interview with our correspondent on Sunday, said the death of the pastor was a separate incident.
He also said he was unaware that journalists were prevented from taking pictures of the site. He stated that policemen were at the camp to beef up security and ensure peace and order.
He also insisted that nobody died as a result of the rainstorm that blew off a section of the auditorium’s roof.
“There was no death recorded. Policemen who were on the ground when the incident happened said nobody died,” Dabo said.
Meanwhile, the Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, has commiserated with the leadership and members of the church over the incident.
Ahmed, in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Alhaji Abdulwahab Oba, described the incident as unfortunate and prayed for the reposed of the souls of the victims.
The governor promised to strengthen government machinery to ensure adequate compliance with town planning regulations to avoid such recurrence.
The mourners, who refused to speak to journalists wore long faces, sobbed intermittently and wiped their faces with handkerchiefs.
But one of them, who pleaded anonymity, whose brother was a victim, said the deceased had lofty plans for his siblings.
She said, “This world can be very agonising and devastating. I cannot believe that my brother with whom we came here together is dead. I do not think it is a reality. It must be a dream. This is a big blow not only to me but to the other family members.
“He told me how he was working very hard in his business to ensure that we all get university education, and later to assist us to get good employment or start business after graduation. I cannot understand why we are now going through this ordeal. But God understands better.”
Our correspondent gathered that the church would take care of the burial expenses of the victims.
A family source close to one of the dead victims, who also pleaded anonymity, told some journalists on Sunday that the family was still waiting for the church to confirm the burial date.
He said, “I have spoken with my sister and she told me they cannot do anything now until the church tells them the next line of action.
“You know they have just ended the camp meeting so it is after that, that we can expect them to call us and inform us of the plans. But they have said they will handle the burial.”
Efforts to speak with officials of the church proved abortive as none of them was willing to talk to journalists.
But one of the leaders of the church, who declined to give his name, said it was only the church’s national headquarters that could speak on the incident.
He added that the church’s leaders at the camp met on Sunday for over two hours after the retreat had ended to deliberate on the tragedy.
Policemen and the church security personnel on the premises prevented journalists from taking pictures of the site.
Meanwhile, the Kwara State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ezekiel Dabo, in a telephone interview with our correspondent on Sunday, said the death of the pastor was a separate incident.
He also said he was unaware that journalists were prevented from taking pictures of the site. He stated that policemen were at the camp to beef up security and ensure peace and order.
He also insisted that nobody died as a result of the rainstorm that blew off a section of the auditorium’s roof.
“There was no death recorded. Policemen who were on the ground when the incident happened said nobody died,” Dabo said.
Meanwhile, the Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, has commiserated with the leadership and members of the church over the incident.
Ahmed, in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Alhaji Abdulwahab Oba, described the incident as unfortunate and prayed for the reposed of the souls of the victims.
The governor promised to strengthen government machinery to ensure adequate compliance with town planning regulations to avoid such recurrence.
Source: The Punch.
xoxo
Simply Cheska...
No comments:
Post a Comment