Following the loss of over 90 lives to a tanker explosion on Tuesday night in Jigawa State, the Senate has asked the National Orientation Agency, NOA, and other relevant authorities to carry out adequate sensitisation of Nigerians on the dangers involved in oil scooping during tanker accidents.
The admonition followed a motion moved by Senator Babangida Hussaini (APC, Jigawa North West) on the incident of a petrol tanker explosion in Majiya Town, Taura Local Government Area of the state, where no fewer than 90 people were confirmed dead, with 50 other persons hospitalised for varying degrees of injury.
In his presentation, Senator Hussaini noted: “In the night of October 15, 2024, a tanker fully loaded with Premium Motor Spirit PMS, popularly called petrol, exploded along Hadejia Expressway in Majia town located in Taura Local Government of Jigawa State, which is about 117 km north-east of Dutse.”
“This catastrophic inferno occurred around 10 pm when the residents of the area trooped out en masse to the accident scene to scoop fuel from the ill-fated taker, and while this was on, the tanker exploded, resulting in a massive fire, difficult to control.
“The explosion resulted in the deaths of about 100 people whose bodies were burnt beyond recognition, leaving about 300 people with varying degrees of burns, and are currently receiving treatments in Birnin Kudu Federal Medical Centre, Rigim, Hadejia and Jahun General Hospital.”
According to him, this is one incident too many, and it is often accompanied by unprecedented casualties, often difficult for medical facilities within the precinct of the disaster.
“This development is rather unfortunate as it keeps happening over and over again in spite of fatalities that are often associated with the inferno,” he added.
After debate on the motion, the Senate accordingly called on the National Orientation Agency, NOA, to step up public enlightenment and sensitisation on the dangers of indulging in the dangerous act of scooping fuel from tankers whenever there is an accident.
It also urged all security agencies to be proactive in their actions whenever there is such an occurrence across the country, just as it observed a minute silence in honour of the dead.
The Red Chamber also called on the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management and the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, to provide relief materials to the victims of the inferno.