The remains of 74 South African nationals who died in the building collapse at the Synagogue Church of All Nations will be flown back to South Africa today. This was disclosed at a press conference held at Protea Hotel Ikeja, Lagos yesterday evening.
While addressing journalists at the conference, a minister in the South African Presidency, Jeff Radebe said arrangements had been concluded to repatriate the remains of the victims to South Africa, adding that the South African government was ready to support the families of the deceased in their grieving moments.
Radebe who expressed regrets over the incident, said it was disheartening that it took a long time for the identities of the victims to be ascertained as DNA tests had to be carried out.
He dispelled the fear that the development could strain the relationship between both countries, stressing that Nigeria, being the largest economy in Africa and South Africa, being a strategic economy in the continent, needed to work together in actualizing the African dream.
Radebe who said his team met Nigerian government officials upon its arrival in the country, thanked the Lagos State Government and the health authorities in the state for their role in identifying the corpses.
Earlier, the bodies were seen being loaded into three refrigerated trucks, also known as mobile mortuaries. The bodies were moved from the Mainland Hospital, Yaba and Isolo General Hospital, Isolo for onward journey to South Africa.
Chief Medical Examiner in charge, Prof. Oladapo Obafunwa, said no fewer than 80 bodies of victims from Nigeria, Togo and neighbouring countries were identified.
Obafunwa who is also a Professor of Forensic Pathology, Lagos State University, College of Medicine, Ikeja said 74 of the identified victims were South Africans.
“We have been working from about midnight when the South Africans arrived and from the airport we came down to the hospital to look at the bodies that we have identified.
“So far, from Yaba mortuary, we have been able to identify 40 South Africans and the bodies have been appropriately labelled having identified them and moved into the refrigerated trucks.
“My other colleague led the team of South Africans to Isolo mortuary, where they have also loaded 26 identified South Africans,” he said.
As at the time this report was filed, Obafunwa said that if within one or two hours more, the laboratory issued all results, there was possibility some more victims might be added.
Post a Comment
Tell us how you feel