By G9ija
Soldiers in Lagos army barracks have reportedly been suffering due to scarcity of light and water for more than three years.
According to reports, the soldiers have experienced ongoing water shortages for more than three years due to a lack of electricity needed to pump water from the Cantonment’s only borehole, which serves Blocks 1 to 3.
It was discovered that each of these blocks contains 30 flats, meaning the borehole was intended to supply 90 flats with just three hours of electricity each day for water pumping.
Many times, according to some of the soldiers who sent an SOS message to our correspondent, they walk for about a kilometer in search of water without finding any.
They lamented that it was mentally and physically draining for them to return from the day’s task only to go water hunting for long distances inside the barracks, but are rejected by those who have personal boreholes.
“This issue started about three years ago when the system started rationing light from 8 pm to 11 pm, they forgot that there are buildings sharing boreholes. A block consists of 30 flats and we have three blocks sharing one borehole which means 90 flats.
“Imagine light for three hours to pump water for use by 90 flats. If there was light for longer hours, more flats would at least have water for essentials and wait for the next pumping but that is not the case.
“Some will go to mosques, churches, and public borehole points to fetch water. Imagine a single man, after coming back from military duties still carrying jerry cans to look for water in one-kilometre distance inside the barracks,” said a source who pleaded anonymity.
Another soldier told our correspondent that lack of water has been the greatest challenge faced inside the barracks, lamenting that sometimes, they would trek as far as the Army Engineers’ Yard, but would be denied water by those who claimed to be working under instructions.
“Water is as important as food. Imagine me fetching water, and climbing a staircase every day in this modern generation, after going a long distance. It’s exhausting.
“People have their personal boreholes in these barracks and some even sell water because of the situation. So, it is all these challenges that made us, the soldiers, start taxing ourselves to either buy a generator or drill a borehole.
“As soldiers, we do not earn much and so, we cannot afford to do both of them. We are using this opportunity to appeal to the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, our General Officer Commanding (GOC), 81 Division, and well-spirited individuals to come to our aid.
“Please help us drill boreholes, then, we can use the contributions to buy a generator to pump water,” he said.
