The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Dr. Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, has expressed his heart-felt condolences to the Niger State Government and families of the over 80 persons who lost their lives when a fallen fuel tanker exploded on Saturday at Dikko Junction, Gurara Local Government Area, Niger State.
While wishing speedy recovery to more than 50 persons who suffered varying degrees of injuries, including burns, Sen. Sabi Abdullahi however praised the efforts of various emergency responders in evacuating the injured and de-escalating the spread of the inferno.
The Minister of State expressed deep sadness over the recurrent incidents of fuel tanker crashes on highways, with the resultant human casualties, severe injuries, and destruction of adjoining properties.
He recalled that barely four months ago, in September 2024, a ghastly fuel tanker crash claimed several lives on Agaie-Lapai Road, also in Niger State.
“Sorrow should not be our routine experience over frequent fuel tanker crashes on our roads,”
The Minister of State said in a statement. “Scores are often killed in these incidents, and the spectacle of mass burial of the victims burnt beyond recognition is a wake-up call to all stakeholders to avert these type of occurrences.”
Sen. Sabi Abdullahi, an indigene of Niger State and the Baraden Borgu, noted that as a bridge between the northern and southern parts of the country, Niger State takes a heavy burden of axial load of haulage trucks.
He commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Minister of Works, Engr. Dave Umahi, for the renewed commitment to complete the reconstruction, within the next 14 months, of the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano dual carriageway, which passes through Niger State.
According to the Minister of State, “part of what is urgently needed are advocacy programmes undertaken by stakeholders to address fallen fuel tanker issues, because no part of the country is insulated from the gory incidents”
“Communities need to enlighten their members on the precautions to take whenever there is an incident involving a fuel tanker. In particular, they must be reminded that fuel is highly volatile and that no amount of spilled fuel they are trying to scoop is worth the tragedy that usually lurks around, ” Sen. Abdullahi observed.
He also called on Road Transport Owners and Road Transport Workers, especially those engaged in haluage of hazardous materials such as fuel, to organize frequent refresher programmes for their drivers, apprentices and all who are involved in the delivery chain.
