By Jonathan Ugbal
Six years after the March 11, 2016, explosion that rocked the Calabar branch of the Central Bank of Nigeria, the country’s apex bank is yet to investigate the incident and make effort to pay claims by families of the victims of that unfortunate incident.
Findings by CrossRiverWatch shows that the leadership of the apex bank may have been involved in what was an avoidable incident. Also, the bank’s leadership may have frustrated efforts for family members of the victims to get compensation.
At least four people died in the unfortunate incident and about 20 had different degrees of injuries.
Medical records sighted by CrossRiverWatch show that three people died on that day while one died the following day, March 12th at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH).
The UCTH received 16 victims from the explosion and four were discharged with minor injuries while 12 were admitted. “Three of the victims died on the day of admission as a result of severe injuries including inhalational injuries while one died the following day,” read a letter by the then Chief Medical Director, Thomas Agan to the Minister of Health.
But, despite the fears raised by the UCTH, it will take the threat of Court before the CBN decided to foot the bill of the medical attention given to the victims.
The Victims…
The apex’s bank acting director of corporate communication at the time, Isaac Okorafor in a statement issued then claimed 25 staff and construction workers were injured amongst whom two died.
“Following the explosion and fire, about twenty five (25) persons sustained various levels of injury, and are currently receiving treatment at hospitals in Calabar. Four of the injured have been discharged.
“We are, however, very saddened to confirm that two of the critically injured, a CBN staff and a construction worker, have died at the hospital,” read Okorafor’s statement.
But, hospital records show that at least four died.
Mr. Patrick Okon Ukpong, 54, died due to inhalational injury, crushed upper and lower limbs with burns as well as a 20 percent burn to his face.
Mr. Ekwerendu Okokon, 32, died from extensive facial burns, bilateral upper/lower limbs, 80 percent mixed thickness burns with inhalational injury.
Mr. Abayomi, M. 30, also died from extensive facial burns, bilateral upper/lower limbs and inhalational 90 percent mixed thickness burns.
Mr. Emmanuel Nwiqwe, 50, died from 33.5 percent mixed thickness burns, facial burns, trunk burns and bilateral upper/lower limbs burns.
Asides Abayomi who was admitted into casualty, the other three were admitted into the Intensive Care Unit of the UCTH where they all died.
The NSITF Intervention…
It will be recalled that Mr. Okorafor, in his statement, claimed that, “We are now working with the bereaved families to determine next steps. More details will be made known to the public in due course.”
Established by Decree 73 of 1993, the NSITF is saddled with the responsibility of settling claims payable to staff of government establishments.
But, as of March 11th, 2022, when this reporter reached out to families, they said they have not received any information on compensation from the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) and the CBN.
Documents obtained by CrossRiverWatch shows that the Calabar branch of the NSITF sent a delegation to the scene of the accident to carry out a visitation exercise on March 15, 2016, four days after the explosion. A letter sighted by this reporter and dated July 13, 2017 — a year and four months after the explosion, shows that the representative of the branch controller “declined to give a detailed report on the incident.”
That letter, signed by the Branch Manager, Okwudsah Annie Obiamaka, was addressed to the Head, rewards and pension division of the Human Resources Department of the CBN. The NSITF said, up until that time, they were yet to receive “any correspondent from your (CBN) Calabar branch with regard to this incident.”
The NSITF urged the CBN to complete and submit the claim forms to enable them, “settle the claims expeditiously.” Filling the forms, according to the NSITF, is “a prerequisite for submitting and processing any claim application.”
Sluggish CBN Bureaucratic Train…
The office of the Head, rewards and pensions division in the CBN did not take any action until about 20 days later on August 2, 2017, when it sent an internal memorandum to the Director, Medical Services Department via the Director, Human Resources Department.
In that memo with the subject; “CBN Calabar Branch Gas Explosion Incident,” dated August 2, 2017, the Head, rewards and pensions division asked the director of the medical services department to “complete the forms for each of the employees affected in the incident.” The completed copies were to be returned to the head, rewards, and benefits office “on or before 14 August 2017.”
It took five days before the medical services department received the memo on August 7, 2017.
Endless Wait…
When this reporter reached out to families of some deceased from the unfortunate incident, they confirmed that they received the NSITF forms in the second half of 2017. But, a fishy situation arose.
“I have not heard or received any response from the bank (CBN),” a relative of one victim (name withheld) said. The relative further said the family began suspecting the bank’s motive after they were not given copies of the form they filled.
Mr. Emefiele, who is reportedly nursing a political ambition in the 2023 polls, was reappointed for a second term as Governor of the apex bank in May 2019, three years after the unfortunate incident.
Insensitive or Business Minded?…
Asides, his visit on Monday, March 14, 2016, to the victims at UCTH and the bank’s premises at 11 – 11 roundabout, where he refused to talk to journalists and departed immediately for Abuja, Mr. Emefiele is yet to make any public comments about the incident despite visiting the State twice after then.
In November 2016, less than seven months after the incident, Mr. Emefiele accompanied Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River to his private rice farms in Ugborro, Bekwarra Local Government Area and near Bebi, in Obanliku Local Government Area where he said the forex restrictions on rice importation had encouraged local rice farmers. Ayade’s counterpart from Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu was also on the trip.
In June 2019, a month after his reappointment, Mr. Emefiele alongside Governor Bagudu visited Calabar, the Cross River capital to flag off the wet season planting of rice at the industrial park, less than 10 kilometers away from the CBN’s branch in Calabar.
Till date, the families of the victims await the compensation they are entitled to.