Hunters Set Lagos Airport Bush On Fire For Hunting

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE

Ejigbo Magistrates court was thrown into confusion on Monday after some unknown Lagos Airport officials in collaboration with some hunters set the bush inside the airport compound on fire for hunting and it spread to the court rooms In Lagos State.
The presiding Magistrates were forced to flee the court premises and the court staff had a herculean task as they had to fetch water to quench the fire which lasted for several hours.
The sudden spread of fire to the court premises also forced the litigants who were present in the court to ran helter-sketer for safety to save their lives and some were injured in the process.
P.M.EXPRESS gathered that some areas inside the airport have been neglected and abandoned and they have grown into a thick forest which created haven for hunters to hunt for wild animals.
It was not the first time, our correspondent learnt the bush had been set on fire for hunting as they had done it several years back.
But this year own became noticeable because the fire spread to the court premises which has exposed the risk of burning the bush for hunting.
The airport compound covered some areas such as Oshodi, Ejigbo, Orisunbare and others, but it was allowed to grow into a thick forest.
But for prompt intervention of the court staff, the court would have been razed by fire thus exposing the lack of maintenance culture by the government agencies.
What led to such neglect of the Airport compound was not yet know as our correspondent was unable to reach the officials for comment.
This development made the court officials to disclose their experiences predicaments within the court premises.
A court official who did not want his name to be mentioned recalled on several instances when they have to battle snakes in the premises owing to the bush close to the court. “One of the presiding Magistrate, Mr Akeen Fashola opened his office one day and saw a big snake and was forced to leave,” he narrated.
Litigants decried the sorry situation of the airport and said the government should do something about it because the airport is at the centre of the Lagos city and it does not tell good story with such thick forest at the airport.
When our correspondent left the court the fire was still raging and court officials were there with buckets of water to prevent the fire spreading to the court.