Victor Ezeja
Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu, has constituted a committee to investigate the root and immediate causes of tanker explosions across the nation’s highways and recommend effective solutions to prevent future occurrences.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, made this known on Sunday when he led a Federal Government delegation to Suleja, Niger State, for an on-the-spot assessment after a tanker explosion that killed not less than 70 persons and injured several others on Saturday.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe explosion occurred when a tanker laden with petrol reportedly fell at Dikko-Maje Junction in Suleja. It cut fire when residents rushed to scoop the content that spilled on the road.
The minister said the Federal Government has directed the immediate transfer of victims of the petrol tanker explosion from Suleja General Hospital to tertiary health facilities for better medical care.
READ ALSO: NNPCL, Petrol Minister Mourn Victims Of Niger Tanker Explosion, Call For Safety Precaution
According to a statement by Rabiu Ibrahim Special Assistant (Media) to the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Idris expressed concern over the loss of approximately 265 lives to tanker explosions in the past five months.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is deeply saddened by what has happened,” the minister stated.
“He asked us to come here to see the situation. We have just gone around the wards, and we have seen those who are very critically injured as we are visiting, one of them, unfortunately, passed on, and we were told that this is the eighth victim of the fire explosion that has just passed on today and what we are seeing is the dire need of emergency medical attention, which the Federal Government is taking.”
He assured that the Minister of Health and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and all other agencies of the government will “ensure that all the victims are immediately evacuated and taken to the Intensive Care Unit of the immediate available tertiary institutions.”
Idris commended the Niger State Government for its swift response to the incident, especially in the provision of emergency medical response.
“The President is saddened by what has happened, and he is worried to the extent that he has said that a high-powered committee is set up to look at these incidents. From September last year to this time, we had four of these major incidents. We had the first one between Ibadan and Ife, where a tanker exploded, and houses and cars were engulfed in fire, and about a day after, here in Niger State in Agaie, about 48 persons lost their lives. This is on the eighth of September, 2024.”
The Federal Government delegation during the visit included the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Nentawe Yilwatda and some heads of agencies.
They were equally there to condole with the government and people of Niger State over the incident.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with seven years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Master's degree in Mass Communication.
