The Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) in Cross River has arrested two suspects for selling gas at the Calabar carnival village.
Commandant of NSCDC in the state, Mr Danjuma Elisha, who paraded the suspects on Thursday in Calabar, said they were arrested on Dec. 4.
Elisha said it was wrong to dispense cooking gas at the carnival village were cooking of all sorts and other activities were taking place.
According to him, fun-seekers should be allowed to have their leisure time at the village in peace without running for safety over any emergency disaster.
“You know that when fire disaster starts, it would go round and kill so many people. At this time where people are coming into the state for the festival, we need to be cautious.
“It is wrong to sell gas at the carnival village because that area is a densely populated place where people are selling many things; roasting of fish, cooking of all sorts and some are smoking.
“Gas is highly inflammable and when such a disaster occurs, it will affect many people. We want a situation where people will come and enjoy the carnival and go back peacefully.
“I believe in preventive measures; that is why we are taking this action. We are working with the Department of Petroleum Resources to ensure safety in gas dispensing in the state,” he said.
The Commandant said that gas operators have specific places where they have been licensed to operate by the DPR, adding that the carnival village was not safe for such business.
He further said that the Command had issued a warning in collaboration with the DPR, urging gas operators to site their businesses far from residential areas.
“We are going to prosecute them to serve as a deterrent to others; else these people will still go back there”, he said.
One of the suspects and a sales representative of Namnomi Nigeria Limited said she was unaware of the implications of selling gas in the carnival village.
She told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that she was deployed by her boss (name withheld) to the carnival village.
NAN reports that at the time of parading the suspects, the management of the gas company were yet to honour the invitation of NSCDC to give further explanation on the matter.
