Niger Tanker Explosion: PDP, MaiBasira Mourn, Demand Inquest

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has mourned the tragic petrol tanker explosion that resulted in the death of over 85 Nigerians with many injured at Dikko Junction along Dikko-Maje Minna Road in Niger State on Saturday.

The party added that the recent disaster added to the ugly wave of tragic occurrences that have befallen the nation due to the deplorable state of infrastructure and disorienting economic hardship occasioned by the gross neglect of the wellbeing of the citizens since the inception of the APC in government.

Similarly, former national secretary of PDP, Hon Abdullahi Hussaini MaiBasira, mourned the victims of the explosion, adding that it is a tragedy that is heartbreaking, unfortunate and painful on a monumental scale.
Maibasira, who hails from Niger State, said the incident is a sad reminder of the multi-faceted social and security problems that communities face in the face of the rising tide in vehicular traffic of heavy duty vehicles.

The national publicity secretary of PDP, Hon Debo Ologunagba, said it is indeed disheartening that Nigerians especially the youths and bread winners of homes continue to die on the highways and bear ugly scars as victims of the unspeakable misgovernance of the APC.

“Our Party calls on the Federal Government not to stop only at investigating the remote and immediate causes of this and similar incidents in the recent time but, most importantly, take immediate steps to address the situation that led to the sad occurrences.

“The Federal Government should end its resort to lip service and take steps to put adequate measures to ensure safer roads so as to prevent the re-ocurrence of such tragic incidents in the country.”

The PDP however commended the efforts and courage of the police, firefighters, the Federal Road Safety Corps and other agencies and patriotic Nigerians who helped to control the fire and rescued some of the victims.

“The PDP commiserates with the families of the victims, the Government and people of Niger State and prays to God to grant speedy recovery to the injured and fortitude to the families of the deceased at this trying time,” the party said.

On his part, the former PDP financial secretary, Abdullahi Hussaini MaiBasira, described the incident as shocking and deeply saddening.

He said, “Official counts indicate that the explosion led to at least 86 fatalities with another minimum of 50 people suffering from “severe burns from the explosion”. This news is devastating and truly tragic.

“I extend my heartfelt condolences to the government of Niger State, the families of those who lost their loved ones and the general population of the Dikko community in Gurara Local Government Area in particular. May Allah SWT grant their souls eternal rest. Amin. Our thoughts, hearts and prayers are with the affected families and for the quick recovery of those who sustained injuries.

“As we mourn our brethren and sympathize with our injured, we are reminded of the obvious necessity for strict action on road traffic and road safety.

“This latest incident is a sad reminder of the multi-faceted social and security problems that our communities face in the face of the rising tide in vehicular traffic of heavy duty vehicles,” he said.