By Bose Adelaja

They had hoped to make brisk business that night but suddenly, the light went off and was not restored, forcing them to lock their shops and retire for the day earlier than expected. In their frustration, they cursed the authorities of the Ikeja Power Distribution Company, Ikeja DISCO for falling to provide light even after giving them crazy electricity bills.

But the power outage turned out to be a blessing in disguise as a tanker rammed into the building where their shops were located. That was how traders and residents of No 32 Musa Adewokun Street in Ojota area of Lagos narrowly escaped death last Tuesday.

•Scene of the accident.

Vanguard Metro VM learnt that the epileptic power supply in the neighbourhood started on December 19, forcing businesses in the area to go to bed earlier than expected. One of the low-rise buildings in the compound had five shops occupied by people engaged in different articles of trade. They had stocked their shops with goods in anticipation of bountiful sales during the festive period. A tailor who simply identified himself as Abbey occupied one of the shops. He told VM that he was also keeping late nights in a bid to get the clothes he was sewing for the Christmas ready. The normal practice, according to him, was to put on the generator anytime there is power outage and continue to work with his 10 apprentices until dawn.

But that Monday night, Abbey decided that he had spent a lot of money on fuel and was not prepared to spend more. He therefore decided to ask his workers to leave for home immediately the lights went off. Abbey did not know that it was how God decided to spare his life and those of his staff.

Around 3am on Tuesday, December 23, 2014, Abbey and his family got a distress call which prompted them to rush to the shop. What they met was beyond their imagination. Right in front of his shop, he saw some residents scooping fuel from a tanker which rammed into the building. Four of the shops were completely pulled down while the remaining one was pulled down by sympathizers to avert further disaster.

A Golf car with number plate LND 914 AV – which was neatly parked near the shops, was slightly damaged by the tanker whose driver escaped into thin air, apparently to avoid being lynched.

When Vanguard Metro visited the scene around 8am, the tanker had been removed and taken to a nearby Police station while the victims tried to salvage what remained of their property.

Conflicting accounts of what caused the accident were given by onlookers. While some said the tanker was returning from a bunkering trip, others said the driver was being chased by policemen because he refused to “settle” them.

A relation of one of the victims, Nurudeen Obayomi, told Vanguard Metro that his brother was badly affected by the incident. According to him, some items in his shop were newly purchased.

Another victims who operates a super market said the incident had left him inconsolable. ‘’ I obtained a loan a couple of days ago to stock this shop with goods. I also sent for my younger brother to assist me during the Christmas sales. Where do I start from?” he lamented.