The Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and Governor of Kwara State, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, on Saturday visited the site of a petrol tanker explosion in Dikko, Gurara Local Government Area of Niger State.
The incident, which occurred on Friday, claimed over 70 lives and left dozens injured, with many battling severe burns.
Abdulrazaq described the incident as devastating and sad.
He expressed shock at the scale of casualties and the severity of injuries suffered by survivors.
In a statement issued by the NGF, the chairman extended condolences to the families of the victims and urged Nigerians to exercise caution in situations involving potential danger.
“The Forum is saddened by the petrol tanker explosion in Niger State, in which dozens of people have been killed or injured.
“The Forum extends its heartfelt condolences to His Excellency Governor Umar Bago, the families who have lost loved ones, and our other compatriots who got injured in the explosion. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families who lost their loved ones in the incident, and we wish those injured quick healing,”the statement read.
He also called for heightened public awareness on safety during emergencies.
“Again, we call on our compatriots to act with extreme caution and absolute respect for life at all times, and especially in times of grave danger such as during a petrol spill. The Forum prays for the repose of the souls of the dead victims.”