By Michael Sunday
The President of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has dispatched a delegation to Dutse to commiserate with Jigawa State Governor Umar Namadi over Tuesday night’s tanker explosion which claimed the lives of over 100 people. While several others were injured.
Governors, traditional rulers, and other eminent Nigerians condoled with the state government, which gave a mass burial to the victims.
Namadi attended the funeral. He later visited the injured at the Federal Medical Centre and promised to foot the bills.
He said: “Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims during this painful time.
“We stand in solidarity with those who have lost loved ones and those injured in this tragic incident.”
The Presidency put the death toll at 100 while the state Police command said 94 died. A medical practitioner, Dr. Hussain Abubakar, said he heard from a source at the venue of the mass burial that 106 bodies were interred.
There were also differing figures on those injured. The police said they were 50. But eyewitnesses said the figure was higher.
The tanker heading to Nguru, Yobe State, departed Kano and exploded after the driver lost control near a commercial bank in Majia, Taura Local Government Area of Jigawa State at about 11.30 pm.
The Police said most of the victims were those who raced to the scene to scoop spilt petrol after the tanker tumbled.
Spokesman for the Command, Lawan Adam, said: “The residents were scooping fuel from the overturned tanker when the explosion occurred, sparking a massive inferno that killed 94 people on the spot.
“The incident also left another 50 people severely injured. They were rushed to Ringim and Hadejia General Hospitals for treatment.”
Adam described the incident as a “horrific tragedy.”
He said it was important for people to understand that fuel scooping from the scenes of accidents was a high risk.
