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Jigawa State Governor, Umar Namadi, on Tuesday, revealed that 181 people have so far died in last week’s tanker explosion.
This was as he said 210 families were affected in an explosion that left 80 people in different hospitals.
“The situation, as of today, is that we have about 181 people that died and about 80 people in the hospitals and about 210 families affected,” Namadi told journalists after a closed-door talks with President Bola Tinubu at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.
He said given that the President was away in Europe on a working leave when the explosion occurred, Tuesday’s visit was meant to update him on the incident.
On October 15, a tanker transporting petrol from Kano to Yobe, overturned near Majiya village in the Taura Local Government Area, causing fuel to spill into a drainage.
Tragically, as villagers attempted to scoop the fuel, a fire broke out, leading to a massive explosion that engulfed the area.
The blast left several persons dead on the spot, with over 50 individuals suffering injuries and being rushed to nearby hospitals.
Tinubu had directed the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, to lead a Federal Government delegation to Jigawa after the tragedy.
The delegation had the state’s immediate-past governor who is now the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Abubakar; Minister of Transportation, Saidu Alkali; Corps Marshal of the Federal Roads Safety Corps, Mr Shehu Mohammed; and the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (North West), Abdullahi Yakasai.
Namadi, speaking at the State House on Tuesday, said he came to thank the President for sending the delegation to Jigawa immediately after the incident, adding that his gesture was deeply appreciated.
The governor informed journalists that the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau had commenced investigations into the explosion.
“I came to see Mr President, first of all, to welcome him back from his annual leave and, secondly, to brief him on what happened to us, the tragic tanker accident that happened in Jigawa State, which claimed a lot of lives.
“So I felt it is important to come and brief the President on what happened and what we are doing as a government and also thank him for sending a delegation to the state immediately after the incident happened.
“This action taken by the President was really appreciated by the people of Jigawa State and I feel it is right to come and thank him for that and to brief him about the situation, about where we are and what we are trying to do,” he stated.
Namadi, however, affirmed that his administration was assisting the affected families, saying the government was footing medical bills for the injured and providing interventions to support bereaved families.
“President Bola Tinubu has also pledged support for the victims. This gesture demonstrates solidarity with Jigawa State, easing the burden on affected families,” he said.
The governor said a committee he established was investigating the incident to ascertain its root causes.
The committee, which he said was chaired by a retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police, will table its recommendations to the state government.
Namadi also cited an earlier directive from the President to the Corps Marshal to investigate the incident and develop a lasting solution to prevent similar tragedies nationwide.
“The Jigawa State government has taken the bills of all the affected people and we have done a lot of interventions for the families to ensure that they continue with their lives. Also, the President has promised to intervene and assist the victims.
“The state government has already established a high-powered committee under the chairmanship of a retired DIG to investigate the remote cause of what happened and advise the government on what to do.
“Also the President has given a directive to the Corps Marshal to investigate the matter and come up with a permanent solution to this problem in the country,” he explained.
Asked if the state government will prosecute anyone for the explosion, he said, “Any prosecution will depend on the outcome of the committee report.”
