Synagogue Building: South African Corpses Released

The South African government on Saturday began the repatriation of the bodies of its citizens killed in the Synagogue Church of All Nations, Lagos building collapse. The bodies were removed from Isolo General Hospital and Mainland Hospital, Yaba in Lagos State.

Reports from Punch/The Nation gathered that two planes arrived the country from South Africa Friday midnight for conveying them back home.

The Chief Medical Examiner of Lagos State and Consultant Forensic Pathologist, Prof. John Obafunwa, has released 66 bodies  of persons that died in the September 12  collapse of the guest house, owned by the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), in Lagos.

The release of the bodies was done at the General Hospital, Mainland, Yaba under the supervision of the chief medical examiner, when 40 bodies were released to the team that represented the South Africa Government; while Dr. Soyemi supervised the second leg at Isolo General Hospital, where 26 bodies were released.

Each of the 66 bodies released at the General Hospital, Yaba was put in a three layer bag, consisting of a clear bag; normal body bag with continent pad linen and finally in an Insulated bag.

The Nation gathered that two planes arrived in the country from South Africa at midnight for the recovery of the bodies from Nigeria and flown them back home. A cargo plane flew in four trucks and six pick up vans.

The four trucks are disaster refrigerated vans and two were stationed at each of the hospital, while the six pick up vans were loaded with utilities, medical devices, water, edibles, two collapsible tents and other items needed in such exercise. Three of the pick-up vans were drafted to the two different hospitals, to enable the team from South Africa have every-thing that was needed, including edible and trash nylon bags to carry away the disposable personal protective equipment (PPEs) used for the exercise. The team flew in, in the second plane.

Giving an insight into the decision of the South African Government to send four pathological trucks and six pick–ups, Obafunwa said it portrayed the preparedness of the South African government.

He said, “The South African government took the samples of the relations that presented themselves and sent samples to the laboratory in South Africa. I have done my professional bit on the bodies here.”

Asked why South Africa had to send trucks, tents and other materials, Obafunwa retorted, “They brought in everything including trolleys, dustbins, and water. The South Africans decided to bring in all these. It is puzzling that Nigeria can conveniently provide 10 to 20 of this, yet, none is in existence. I don’t see any reason why each state cannot provide its own disaster refrigerated vans. It is highly useful in the scene of mass disaster. One doesn’t need to take in a body into a building, but with this disaster refrigerated vans; one can carry out forensic analyses.”

He, however, admitted that disaster management in Lagos State has improved.  According to him, “So many years ago, I talked about disaster management. The government set up a committee for managing disasters; we have been rehearsing for a situation like this. Each individual knows what role to play in disaster management, so that in less than 24 hours, there is response. Lagos State has improved on its Coroner Laws. We can no longer be doing mass burial. You recall the Dana crash where we identified 148 of the 152 bodies. And Associated Airline crash, where we associated all the bodies. With Synagogue’s case, we will know how many we have been able to identify. I also know that Lagos State has in the pipeline a Forensic Science laboratory. It has already acquired about five acres of land. The state has been able to put together a sketch of how the forensic laboratory would be. It is of note that South Africa has not complained about how we handled the forensic investigation.  We have been working together.”