Jigawa tanker explosion: 5 more victims die, FG delegation pays sympathy visit

Five more victims of Tuesday’s fuel tanker explosion in Majiya town, Taura Local Government Area of Jigawa State who died from fire burns were buried on Thursday.

Daily Trust reported that on Tuesday, a petrol tanker, en route from Kano to Nguru in Yobe State, lost control and crashed, spilling its contents. Many people who trooped to the scene to scoop fuel died when the vehicle exploded.

The Police Public Relations Officer in Jigawa State, SP Lawan Shisu Adam said the death toll stood at 153, with 100 people hospitalized at Aminu Kano, Jahun, Nguru, Hadejia, and Gumel hospitals as at Wednesday evening. 

Among the victims that died were Abdulrashid Isa,50, popularly known as Jajiloga, Labahani Saminu 23, Kabiru Rabiu and two children who were referred to the Federal Medical Centre in Birnin Kudu.

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Jajikoga was rushed to Hadejia General Hospital from where he was

taken to Federal Medical Centre Nguru, Yobe State. He was pronounced mdead on Thursday. His sister Lami Isa confirmed that he has since been buried in Majiya town.

A resident, Abdullahi Salisu, said he counted 18 new graves at the cemetery on Thursday. Muhammad Sabitu Haruna who lost his son, Sani Sabitu, said the deceased was the only support he had, describing his death as a ‘devastating block’.

Haruna said he could not challenge the decision of his Maker but was consoled by the fact that the Almighty God is the sustainer of the world Who provides for his creation.

In the meantime, the federal government delegation led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, has visited Majia town to commiserate with families that lost their loved ones to the incident.

The team was at Rasheed Shekoni Hospital in Dutse, the state capital, to sympathise with the victims of the explosion.

Akume told newsmen that President Bola Tinubu sent the team to console the people and government of Jigawa State over the incident.

“So many lives have been lost, we visited victims at the hospital. The president has directed the Federal Road Safety Corps to immediately investigate the accident. He further directed them to widen the investigation to cover similar incidents in the country.

“The president is saddened by this unfortunate development and he has directed NEMA and other agencies to move into action. NEMA DG is already here and they have started work and other agencies are to follow suit.’’

The SGF urged the people not to lose hope and that the president is with them at this trying moment and will work with the state government to render assistance to them.

Also speaking, the Chairman of APC Governors’ Forum and governor of Kwara State, Ahmed Abdulrazaq, said the governors would continue to sensitise the people on the need to avoid such scenes.

A former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, also paid a sympathy visit to the town on Thursday.

Lamido described the death of over 156 people as a tragic loss and prayed for the repose of the lives of the dead and quick recovery of those taken to hospitals.

16 victims stable in hospital

Meanwhile, 16 victims of the incident who were rushed to Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital Kano with severe burns are said to be stable and responding to treatment.

The victims were moved from Accidents and Emergency ward to Magaji Danbatta Burns ward.

Chief Nursing Officer Talata Ali told Daily Trust that a deputy director of Nursing from Jigawa State Ministry of Health visited the victims on Thursday on behalf of the state government pledging to deposit money for the treatment of the victims.

Relatives of the victims were seen outside the ward when our correspondent visited the hospital.

Speaking, one of them, Muhammad Shu’aibu Majia, who is a former House of Assembly member representing Majia Local Government Area, said he has lost a son while one other is currently receiving treatment. 

“My sons were among those who went for a rescue mission but ended up being victims too. One of them is already dead while the other, who is about 40 years old, is currently receiving treatment here.

“We thank God for whatever that has happened. It’s His will and we can’t do anything about it.”

He thanked the state government for taking full responsibility for the patients’ bill and upkeep.

Kano governor, ACF condole with families

The Kano State governor, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, has described the incident as a “heart-wrenching tragedy” and a significant loss not only for Jigawa State but for the entire country.

In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, the governor expressed his deepest sympathies to Governor Umar Namadi, the government, and people of Jigawa State.

Also, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) and the Sir Ahmadu BelloMemorial Foundation (SABMF) have commiserated with the government and people of Jigawa State over the tragic loss from the trailer accident.

They also called for proactive measures to prevent future occurrences.

The ACF National Publicity Secretary, Professor Tukur Muhammad-Baba, in a statement decried that such avoidable incidents continue tohappen with the catastrophic human costs.

“ACF deeply mourns the lives lost and condoles the people of Majiya town specifically as well as the government and people of Jigawa. ACF further prays for God Almighty’s succour to the injured, prays for their quick recovery and return to good health,” the statement read.

The forum called for enlightenment campaigns to educate the people on the dangers of petroleum and other inflammable substances and how to react in the case of spills from whatsoever causes.

The Director General of SABMF, Engineer Abubakar Gambo, also called on the relevant authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the explosion and provide immediate assistance and support to the affected families.

He also called for strengthening of safety regulations and enforcement across the petroleum industry as well as investment in emergency response infrastructure and capacity building.

Meanwhile, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has called for a thorough investigation into the remote and immediate cause of the explosion in Majiya.

The opposition party also said there was need for “urgent measures to ensure safer transportation to prevent the recurrence of such sad incidents in our country.”

Debo Ologunagba, National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, said the party is “deeply sad over the tragic petrol tanker explosion that resulted in the death of over 150 Nigerians with many injured”.

The PDP described the incident as “another sad commentary on the wave of calamitous events that have befallen our nation as a result of worsening infrastructure, economic hardship and social disorientation in the last nine years.

The party called on the federal government to “investigate the remote and immediate cause of the explosion and put urgent measures to ensure safer transportation so as to prevent the recurrence of such sad incidents in our country.”

It commends the efforts and courage of the police, firefighters and other Nigerians who helped to put off the fire and rescued some of the victims.

The party also commiserates with the government and people of Jigawa State and prayed to God to grant speedy recovery to the injured and fortitude to the families of the deceased at this trying time.

NSIB probes incident

The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has commenced investigation into Tuesday’s tanker explosion at Majiya town, Taura Local Government Area of Jigawa State.

NSIB in a statement by its Director, Public Affairs and Family Assistance, Mrs Bimbo Olawumi Oladeji, said the bureau is “aware of the tragic petrol tanker explosion.”

Oladeji stated that in line with the bureau’s mandate to investigate accidents across all transportation sectors, the NSIB had deployed a team of experts to investigate the accident.

The team will assess the circumstances surrounding the crash and the explosion to identify causal factors and provide safety recommendations aimed at preventing future occurrences.