How Over 45 Persons Perished In Petrol Tanker Explosion in Lokoja

This is a tale of how 0ver 45 persons perished in Petrol Tanker explosion in Lokoja, which has become a daily event in Nigeria.

Innocent loss of lives in Nigeria has become a jamboree of some sort across the country. Every day you read in our dailies, “Gas Explosion kills 50, tomorrow Boko Haram recks havoc in Damaturu, and the next time “unknown gunmen raids an entire village under the watch of our forces”, and so on.

The story is endless and all citizens hear on a daily basis is the story of Government Condemns the attacks, or you hear Buhari Weeps over attack on Zulum.

Just last week, Governor Bello spoke through his Chief Press  Secretary Onogwu Muhammed in an official statement said, “The governor of Kogi State, His Excellency Yahaya Bello has expressed shock over the unfortunate fatal tanker explosion which took place in the early hours of Wednesday 23, September, around the Felele area of Lokoja metropolis.

All he could do was to express shock as usual without any lasting solution to the problems bedevilling the state.

The lamentation continued, “Governor Bello is very sad to learn of the tragic loss of lives, many vehicles, property and other valuables in the petrol tanker fire while expressing his deepest condolences to the family of those affected by the ugly occurrence.

“This is sadly the greatest tragedies the state has witnessed in recent times while describing the unfortunate accident as a sad development and shares the feeling of those who lost their loves ones in this incident.

“The governor also urged the students of Kogi State Polytechnic to remain calm and peaceful, stating that he equally shared in their grieving moment over the death of some of their colleagues in the disaster.”

Up to 20 students are reportedly died around Felele, Lokoja along Lokoja-Abuja highway as a result of oil tanker explosion.

Many vehicles including school bus and entire pupils conveyed, were burnt beyond recognition.

A family of seven, father, mother and five children and about 20 corpses have been recovered and deposited at Kogi state specialist hospital, Lokoja.

Sadly, men of the fire service were nowhere close to the scene of the incident, leaving officers of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and other security agencies on the ground to handle the situation.

According to an eye witness account, the tanker developed a brake failure, crashed and exploded around the Kogi State Polytechnic.

Vehicles plying our roads must be properly checked and if found wanting, must be impounded to safeguard lives and properties.

Note, it is estimated that about 100 innocent Nigerians die daily from attacks by bandits, Boko Haram or avoidable accidents. Something must be done to stop these ugly trends in Nigeria.

The Roads must be fixed and security apparatus needs total overhauling for a better Nigeria.

And above all, someone must be held accountable for any unwarranted death of citizens.