Niger State Governor, Umaru Bago has blamed the frequent accidents along Suleja-Minna road on the delay by the Federal Government in completing the project even as he urged expedited action to stem the carnage caused by tanker accidents.
The governor while inspecting the ruins and damage at the scene of the explosion at Dikko junction in Suleja local government area of the state, also banned heavy-duty trucks from plying one way through Dikko bridge, following a tanker explosion that killed no fewer than 50 people on Saturday.
Bago decried the recklessness of some drivers just as he directed that vehicles coming from the Maje axis should not pass through Dikko Bridge.
He said that the vehicles should, instead, follow the route under the bridge and take a U-turn.
The governor called on the sector commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC to establish a detachment in the area to enforce the directive. He also urged transport unions to cooperate with the FRSC.
He commended the state Emergency Management Agency, Fire Service, FRSC and the National Union of Road Transport Workers for their roles in evacuating victims of the explosion.
He noted that doctors from Minna hospitals would be redeployed to assist in treating the injured victims currently receiving treatment at Suleja General Hospital.
The Nigerian Governors’ Forum, NGF, has also expressed sorrow over the tragic tanker explosion at Dikko Junction along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway in Niger State.
In a statement issued by its Chairman, Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara, the forum described the explosion, which claimed over 50 lives and left many others injured, as a heartbreaking tragedy.
AbdulRazaq stated that the incident had cast a shadow of grief over the entire nation.
He called for the urgent enforcement of safety measures, particularly concerning the transportation and handling of combustible materials across Nigeria.
“We extend our heartfelt condolences to the government and people of Niger State, as well as to the families who have suffered unimaginable loss in this tragedy.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with those injured, and we wish them a swift and complete recovery,” AbdulRazaq said.
He added that the NGF was united in calling for stricter enforcement of safety measures across the country, particularly regarding the transportation and handling of hazardous materials.
“This incident serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need to enhance our regulatory frameworks to prevent such occurrences in the future,” he emphasised.
Safety measures
Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, Minister of Petroleum Resources also extended condolences to the government and people of Niger State following the tragic explosion of a petrol-laden tanker at Dikko Junction, along the Suleja-Minna road.
In a statement on Saturday, the minister described the incident, which resulted in the loss of lives and left several others injured, as a heartbreaking tragedy.
Lokpobiri expressed his deepest sympathies to the families of the victims, stating, “I am deeply saddened by this tragic event, and my thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families.
“May the souls of the departed find eternal rest, and may God grant their families the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss.”
He also wished for a swift and complete recovery for those injured.
The minister emphasised the need for enhanced safety measures to minimise such incidents and urged the public to exercise caution around petrol-laden tankers during emergencies.
“The risks are enormous, and lives are too precious to be lost unnecessarily,” he said.
Lokpobiri announced that he had directed the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority to investigate the incident and reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to ensuring safe petroleum transportation across the country.
He called for ongoing collaboration among relevant stakeholders to prevent similar tragedies, stressing the importance of collective responsibility in ensuring safety in petroleum distribution.
“This tragedy reminds us of the importance of collective responsibility.
“We must all work together, government, transport operators, and citizens to ensure that safety remains paramount in all aspects of petroleum distribution,” he said.
The minister assured the people of Niger State of his ministry’s support during this difficult time.
•Niger State Governor Umaru Bago
