Ogun State Governor and Chairman of the Southern Governors’ Forum, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has described the tanker fire explosion that claimed 77 lives and injured 25 others along the Dikko-Maje road in Suleja, Niger State as a devastating tragedy.
Abiodun, who commiserated with Governor Mohammed Umar Bago and his cabinet on Sunday, said that the tragedy deeply troubled the governments and people of the Southern States.
The Ogun governor, who urged them not to allow their spirits to be dampened by the tragic event, also prayed for the repose of the souls of the victims of the fire while expressing hope that the injured would have a speedy recovery and be back on their feet in the shortest possible time.
“To say that we in the Southern Governors’ Forum are shocked by this devastating tragedy in which as many as 77 people lost their lives, and no less than 25 others were grievously injured would be an understatement.
“This is a soul-crushing event that has befallen Niger State, and we pray that almighty Allah will comfort the families that lost their loved ones in the incident.
“We also hope that the security agencies will up their ante and enforce the directives given by His Excellency, Governor Mohammed Umar Bago, to ensure strict enforcement of traffic rules in the state, especially given that this was an entirely avoidable tragedy.
“It is also important to warn Nigerians to desist from the practice of scooping fuel from fallen tankers, as most of the victims of this tragedy were people who ran to the scene of the accident to scoop fuel,”
While calling on state and federal agencies to redouble efforts in managing the fallouts of the tragedy, Abiodun urged the Federal Government to liaise with the Niger State Government and render any assistance that the state may require at this time.
