A senior lawyer, Dr. 'Bunmi Odeniyi has asked the Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Lawal Pedro, SAN to prosecute the Managing Directors of Airtel Networks Limited, Carville Integrated Ventures Limited and other individuals allegedly culpable for the wrongful death of Mr. Feranmi Nuremi Oluwatoba Oriyomi resulting from the 2024 Airtel Base Station explosion.
Late Oriyomi's death was the fifth victim associated with the AIRTEL BTS at Abaranje in Ikotun area of Lagos.
The petition is titled “The Wrongful and Painful Death of Mr. Feranmi Nuremi Oluwatoba Oriyomi From Severe Injuries inflicted from culpable negligence and Reckless activities at Airtel Networks Limited BTS LAG 767A on Tuesday, 19th March, 2024 …. Application For Prosecution in the Interest of Justice.”
The lawyer said their prosecution has become imperative to serve as deterrence to others.
In the petition dated September 10, 2025, Odeniyi stated that Oluwatoba was among the victims of the “reckless and negligent fiery explosion at Airtel Networks Limited Base Transceiver Station (BTS LAG 767A) situate at No. 15/19, Abiodun Ibidapo Street, Asalu bus-stop, Abaranje, Ikotun, Lagos State on March 19, 2024.”
According to him, the deceased was one of the many persons set ablaze by the explosion emanating from the Airtel Networks Limited facility.
He said the cause of the explosion was established by none other than the Lagos State Safety Commission (LSC) which allegedly discovered that there was gross and reckless negligence resulting into the explosion and the severe burn on several passers-by including the deceased.
He said the agency’s investigations also revealed that the diesel tank on site was leaky and a purported site engineer chose to weld the leaky tank which had diesel fuel inside in preparation for receipt of another consignment of diesel.
He made reference to the Report of the Lagos State Safety Commission dated April 12, 2024 titled a “Preliminary Investigation Report of Fatal Fire Accident at a BTS Site at Abiodun Ibidapo Street, Abaranje-lkotun, Lagos on March 19, 2024.”
The senior lawyer said neither Airtel nor Carville offered anything meaningful to help, assist or save the victims “but rather relied on a procured and suspicious report” from the Ikotun Divisional Police Station addressed to no-one in particular to claim that the victims were area boys.
Odeniyi said: “Instead of expressing regret and remorse, accepting liability and making amends for the injuries and deaths caused by their joint actions, both Airtel and Carville quickly went on the offensive, falsely labelling the deceased and other victims of the incident as 'Area Boys' who were extorting money from one of their diesel suppliers at the time of the gory incident. What can be more absurd than this?
“Even if this ridiculous campaign of calumny were true - and we certainly deny the defamatory accusations - does that exonerate the culpability of both Airtel and Carville? Have both companies been deputised by Lagos State Government to deal with ‘Area Boys’ by setting them on fire? Is it now permitted for ‘Area Boys’ to be doused with diesel and set ablaze in Lagos State?
“Are ‘Area Boys’ not under the protection of our Constitution and various laws made by the Lagos State House of Assembly? Are the ‘Area Boys’ responsible for the reckless and negligent welding of a diesel tank with products still inside it? Are the ‘Area Boys’ responsible for the installation of a BTS in a densely populated residential area contrary to extant regulations and guidelines?
“Out of the five (5) victims who were severely and horribly burnt, two lives have been lost, irretrievably lost, due to neglect, abandonment and callousness. Is it until the remaining three (3) victims also perish before the Government will get justice done?”
Odeniyi therefore demanded that both Managing Directors of Airtel Networks Limited and Carville Integrated Ventures Limited as well as other culpable individuals should be accordingly prosecuted for the wrongful deaths of Chidi Ihieukwumere and Feranmi Oriyomi.
He said their prosecution has become necessary to “serve as a deterrence and promote better social practices and effective risk management in the telecommunications sector.
“There are roughly 6 (Six) thousand BTS station across Lagos State and there must be sanity and regard for safety practices in the management of same. A standard safety template must be put in place and strictly monitored/enforced. Impunity must be stamped out of this sector.
“It will also be a clear illustration that all lives matter in Lagos State in line with your administration’s strong commitment to the Rule of Law.
“The right to life is sacrosanct and no one should be unlawfully deprived of his life in Lagos State and elsewhere without dire consequences.
“The family of our clients will also have some respite that justice has been done and that their son’s needless and wrongful death will not be in vain. We count on your good offices to ensure that justice is served."
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