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Blame deplorable condition of roads for frequent petrol tanker accidents
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Death toll hits 86, victims given mass burial, 55 hospitalised
From John Adams, Minna
As Nigerians continue to react to the unfortunate fuel tanker incident at Diko Junction, Gurara Local Government Area of Niger State, which claimed the lives of 86 people and left 55 others in critical condition, the Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, has expressed his condolences to the families of the victims who perished in the incident, describing the accident as worrisome and tragic.
The Speaker, in a statement in Minna on Sunday, personally signed by him, said the tragic incident on Saturday would go down as one of the darkest days in the state, stating that the accident was not only sad but highly regrettable.
Sarkindaji pointed out in the statement that, “It is with a heavy heart that I sympathise with the immediate families of the deceased, the people of Gurara Local Government Area, and the state government over this unfortunate and tragic loss of innocent lives. This singular incident will go down as one of the darkest days in the state with this number of innocent lives lost in a single day. It is heartbreaking. It is one tanker accident too many,” he added.
While praying to God to grant the deceased eternal rest and for the families to bear the loss, the Speaker maintained that this tragic incident underscores the need for increased caution and adherence to safety standards on our highways by tanker drivers and other road users to avoid the continued loss of lives and property.
“I want to use this opportunity to strongly advise against reckless driving and urge tanker drivers and all other road users to strictly adhere to road traffic and safety regulations to prevent unnecessary loss of lives and property,” he added.
Sarkindaji therefore thanked all relevant agencies for their swift response to the situation, evacuation efforts, and the support provided to victims at the accident scene, saying, “Your responses were very timely.”
Also, a former commissioner for information, culture and tourism and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Mr. Jonathan Vatsa, in his condolence message to the government and the immediate families of victims, described the incident as sad and disheartening.
The former APC spokesperson in the state, in a statement, said that the death of over 80 innocent and promising Nigerians who were caught in the petrol tanker explosion highlights the level of poverty among Nigerians, adding that, although the people knew the inherent danger, they went ahead to scoop the fuel.
He, nevertheless, blamed the unfortunate incident on the deplorable condition of federal roads in the state, which he claimed has continued to cause carnage on highways in different parts of the state.
He particularly cited the Minna-Suleja highway, which terminated at Diko Junction, the scene of the latest incident, and which contract was awarded almost 15 years ago but abandoned, as an example of numerous federal roads in the state that are in a deplorable condition, needing urgent attention.
Vatsa blamed the previous administration for abandoning these roads, resulting in numerous accidents with the attendant loss of lives, especially involving fuel tankers and other articulated vehicles. He stressed that there is a need for the federal government to take urgent steps towards addressing the deplorable condition of its roads across the state to reduce further carnage.
According to him, “The only way the federal government can sympathise with the victims, government, and people of the state is to hasten the work on this road and ensure its completion. This road has claimed many innocent lives, and it is time to ensure its completion,” he added.
In a similar vein, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Niger State Chapter, has commiserated with the state governor, Umaru Mohammed Bago, and the entire people of the state over the tanker explosion.
In a statement, the Chairman of the Niger State Chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Most Rev. Dr. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, assured the governor that the entire Christian community stands in solidarity with him during this difficult time.
According to the Chairman, who is also the Catholic Bishop of Kontagora Diocese, “We are deeply saddened by the devastating incident; we stand in solidarity with the state government during this difficult time. To us, the explosion is worrisome, heartbreaking, and unfortunate; we specifically sympathise with the governor and the families of the victims of the explosion.”
Bishop Yohanna therefore commended the government’s efforts in responding to the emergency and providing support to the affected families and those still hospitalised.
Meanwhile, the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NISEMA) has given an update on the number of deaths from the Saturday fuel tanker explosion in the state, saying that a total of 86 persons have been confirmed dead.
The agency, in a statement in Minna on Sunday by Alhaji Baba Arah, also said that 80 of the bodies recovered from the scene of the incident have been given a mass burial at the premises of Diko Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC), while five bodies were released to their families for burial.
Arah disclosed that the mass burial was carried out by the agency in collaboration with Gurara LGA and other kind-hearted volunteers between the hours of 5:00 pm to 12:00 am.