The Niger State Government has announced its decision to take over the cost of treatment of all the injured victims of Saturday’s Fuel Tanker explosion in the state as a humanitarian gesture.
Arewa PUNCH reports that over 90 persons were burnt to death in the tragic fire explosion which occured in the early morning of Saturday at the Dikko Junction along the Niger Kaduna expressway while no fewer than 60 persons suffered various degrees of injury and burns.
The tanker was reportedly speeding when it crashed into the concrete side bulwark pavement dividing the expressway on the road, tumbled, and spilt its content on the tarred road.
Shortly after the accident, there was a surge of indigent indigenes of the state who rushed to scoop the spilling fuel.
The Niger State Emergency Management Agency Director General Abdullahi Baba-Arah said in a statement that the tanker suddenly erupted into flames when the tanker owners activated a generator set attached to the tanker’s head from its tail.
All the people attempting to scoop the spilling fuel, including others trying to rescue their relations, were roasted by the blazing inferno
The Niger State Governor, Mohammed Bago visited the scene of the tragedy and commiserated with the peple while praying for the quick recovery of the injured most of whom were taken to the Suleja General Hospital, where he announced that the state government would defray the cost of treatment of the injured.
The governor who thereafter cautioned road transport drivers, particularly tanker drivers, on the need to exercise caution and think safety on the road, placed a ban on vehicles coming from the Maje axis from passing through the Dikko bridge, even as he also decried the recklessness of some of the drivers.
“The Niger State Government has directed that no vehicle coming from Maje axis should be allowed to pass through Dikko bridge.
He said it is unacceptable for any vehicle coming from Maje to pass through the bridge rather they should drive under the bridge and make a U-turn appropriately,” the governor stated through his Chief Press Secretary, Bologi Ibrahim.
Meanwhile, a Niger State Health Team has taken swift action to save the lives of many victims of the fire accident following a directive by Governor Bago, who ordered free medical services and deployment of sufficient healthcare workers to all the facilities deployed to manage the patients.
The Special Adviser to the governor on Digital Media and Strategy, Abdullberqy Ebbo, on his verified social media handle, X, disclosed that “an 18-man multi-disciplinary medical team” from the Ministry of Health had swung into action to provide medical treatment for the victims on the governor’s directive.
Ebbo said that the team was led by the Commissioner of Secondary and Tertiary Healthcare, Dr. Tukur Bello, including the Special Adviser on Health, Dr Shehu Ahmed, and the Special Adviser on Special Duties, Dr. Murtala Bagana.
According to him, the medical team was immediately put on the ground for the urgent medical assignment and had visited both the Suleja General Hospital and Shehu Musa Yar’adua Hospital, Sabon-Wuse, in Tafa Local Government Area.
Arewa PUNCH’s visit to the two hospitals has indicated, upon a clear assessment of the current conditions of the patients, that a significant number of them would require intensive care and therefore, some had already been referred to other tertiary healthcare facilities in Abuja.
Our correspondent also learnt that 43 patients, all males, were admitted to the General Hospital, Suleja. However, seven of them died, while three were satisfactorily treated and discharged to recuperate at home.
Ten patients were referred for specialist care in Abuja, while the remaining were receiving treatment for various degrees of burn.
At the General Hospital, Sabon-Wuse, 23 patients were initially admitted to the facility. Three died within eight hours of admission, while relatives of 19 patients signed consent forms to be discharged against medical advice.
One patient in a critical condition was referred to the Gwagwalada Specialist Hospital, Abuja.
According to Ebbo, the team from the Ministry of Health also used the opportunity to hand over medical supplies and commodities donated by the Niger State Government to the two hospitals.
Meanwhile, the federal government has commended the Niger State Government for its quick response to the tanker explosion disaster at the Dikko Junction.
Ibrahim, who made this known in a statement shared with Arewa PUNCH, stated that the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, in the company of his Humanitarian Affairs counterpart, Prof. Yilwatda Nentawe, on behalf of President Bola Tinubu, gave the commendation when he came on a sympathy and evaluation visit to Suleja.
He said President Tinubu was deeply saddened by the incident and extended his condolences to the Niger State Government, the Emir, and the people of Suleja Emirate.
The minister further disclosed that the federal government would provide free medical services to all the critically injured victims who would be moved to tertiary healthcare in Abuja.
He also announced that the President had directed that a high-powered committee should be set up to look into the incidences of tanker explosions in the country.
Ibrahim disclosed that the 18-man multidisciplinary medical team, led by the Commissioner for Secondary and Tertiary Health, Dr. Bello Tukur, Special Adviser on Health and his counterpart on Special Duties, Dr. Murtala Bagana used the forum to present N50,000 cash donation as feeding money to each of the patients.
The Niger State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria has commiserated with Governor Bago and Nigerlites over the tragedy.
In a statement, the Chairman, Most Rev. Dr. Bulus Yohanna assured the governor that the entire Christendom was in solidarity with him in the difficult times.
According to Yohanna, who is also the Catholic Bishop of Kontagora Diocese, “we are deeply saddened by the devastating incident. We stand in solidarity with the state government in this difficult time.
To us, the explosion is worrisome, heartbreaking, and unfortunate. We specifically sympathise with the governor and the families of the victims of the explosion,” he sympathised.