Former governor of Anambra State and presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the last election, Peter Obi has called for implementation of measures that would end the recurring tanker explosion on the country.
Obi made the call in a statement on Sunday while reacting to the recent tragic incident along Dikko-Maje Road in the Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State, where several lives were lost on Saturday.
NEW DAILY PRIME earlier reported that over 80 people were feared dead in an explosion which occurred along Dikko-Maje Road in the Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State Niger State on Saturday, January 18, 2025.
In a fresh update, the death toll rose to 86 and over 50 residents who sustained varying degrees of burns and were rushed to different hospitals for treatment.
Speaking on Sunday, Abdullahi Baba Arah, Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), revealed that 80 victims were buried in a mass grave located at the Dikko Primary Health Care premises, while five bodies were claimed by relatives for private burial.
One victim succumbed to injuries at the healthcare centre.
The mass burial, organized by NSEMA in collaboration with Gurara local government officials and community volunteers, commenced at 5 p.m. and lasted until midnight.
Arah confirmed that 55 people sustained injuries in the explosion and are currently receiving medical care
The tragic incident occurred when a fuel tanker traveling from Kaduna to Gwagwalada overturned at the junction, spilling its contents.
Despite warnings to keep a safe distance, many residents gathered to scoop fuel from the site.
The tanker exploded, resulting in catastrophic loss of life, severe injuries, and the destruction of property worth millions of naira.
Reacting to the incident, the former Governor of Anambra commiserated with victims families , saying there is a need for a stricter safety measures to address tanker explosion and similar incidents.
He tweeted: “The tragic petrol tanker explosion that occurred along Dikko-Maje Road in the Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State yesterday is truly heartbreaking. Reports indicate that over 70 lives were lost, while more than 50 people were injured in the incident.
“These accidents, which have sadly become increasingly recurrent in recent times, highlight the urgent need for the implementation of stricter safety measures to address the dangers of tanker explosions and similar incidents, which often result in colossal disasters.
“I sincerely commiserate with the families who lost their loved ones in the tragedy. I also extend my condolences to the Government and people of Niger State over this devastating incident. May God grant them, and all of us, the fortitude to bear this loss, eternal rest to the departed, and a swift recovery to the injured.”
