TANK FARM: Residents Of Apapa Community Battle Capital Oil And Gas

An intense battle has ensued between residents of Beachland Estate in Apapa, Lagos and frontline tank farm owners; Capital Oil and Gas over ongoing construction of a tank farm allegedly too close to the high brow estate. 

Reliable sources confirmed to our correspondent last week that many residents of the estate have abandoned their homes fro fear of possible explosion at the tank farm.

Shipping Position Weekly confirmed from Seaview Investment Limited, managers of the estate that over 2,000 people reside in the estate and so far about 20 apartments ranging from four to five bedrooms have been vacated including employees of a major construction company.

Our correspondent learnt that a case on the matter has been in court for more than a year now and that it is billed to come up for hearing next month at the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos.

Sources very close to top executives of the managing company told our correspondent that they have tried to dialogue with the management of Capital Oil and that it was when this failed that the company went to court, but lamented that in spite of the litigation, Capital Oil has refused to stop further work on the tank farm.

Also, some residents of the estate who confirmed this to our correspondent said that  “the number of tank farms surrounding the whole estate is affecting us, there are tank farms on both sides of us and it leads to traffic congestions, bad roads, late hours and so on”.

“The new construction by Capital Oil is just like next door, very close to our windows. It’s just about 20 yards away and it goes against all international regulations, you can never see this anywhere else in the world. In case of fire outbreak what do you think will become of us? Also there are many of these vessels anchored not far from us here, they are too close to us, and even those working on the vessels can see directly into our bedrooms here” they said.

Expressing further anxiety about the environmental impact of the tank farms, they said that: “The waters are very oily and this has been going on over time, though some of them do endeavour to maintain clear water ways.”