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American Morning

Death Toll Rises in Nigerian Munitions Explosion

Aired January 30, 2002 - 08:46   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN FINANCIAL ANCHOR: The death toll continuing to climb in the aftermath of a huge explosion at a munitions dump Sunday in Nigeria. An explosion damaged a large number of buildings in the town of Lagos with as many as 2,000 people still missing, rescue workers continue today to look for more bodies.

CNN Lagos Bureau Chief Jeff Koinange has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEFF KOINANGE, CNN LAGOS BUREAU CHIEF: Along the banks of the canal, rescue workers drag out bodies, at a rate of a dozen an hour. Now more than 700 counted. The stench of death is thick here as the curious and the mourning cover their noses, watch, and wait.

Herbid Ajabo (ph) says both his daughters fled when the munitions dump near their house exploded. One of them eventually made it home. The other is still missing, and Ajabo (ph) thinks she may have drowned in these murky waters.

HERBID AJABO (ph), LAGOS RESIDENT: I've been searching for her for many places. I couldn't get her, then I decided to come here to come get her.

KOINANGE: Others like Majid Afalubey (ph) says he's been standing on the banks of the canal for the last 48 hours searching for the bodies of his wife and two children, last seen on their way home from church.

"I haven't seen them in two days," he says. "I can't go home and just sit and wait. We are too poor to get help from the government. No one cares about us."

The search is conducted by an army of volunteers. These men are fishermen, but for the last the two days, they've used their tools to lend a helping hand to people they don't even know.

(on camera): This is the spot where most the bodies are being brought in by volunteers. Ahead of me, about a dozen bodies covered in plastic sheeting. On the side of me, more bodies. Friends and relatives have been standing here since morning, hoping and praying that their loved ones made it across those waters behind me.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That is the problem (UNINTELLIGIBLE) KOINANGE: Grief is quickly turning to anger here as residents vent their frustrations at a government they say has failed them. They say this is one disaster that could have very easily been avoided if President Obasanjo had ordered the munitions moved after a smaller accident last year.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Please, do something before this country (ph) erupts. If you continue doing -- suffering us like this, the country will split. It will split into fire (ph).

KOINANGE: "This is no way to die," this man says. "Someone has to pay for this." In the meantime, this country's latest heroes continue the dismal task of sifting through these treacherous waters. They insist they'll go on until every inch of the riverbed is combed and every last body brought to the surface.

Jeff Koinange, CNN, Lagos.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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