By Correspondent in Minna.
Niger State Governor Mohammed Umar Bago has announced immediate measures to prevent a recurrence after the tragic tanker explosion that claimed the lives of about 80 people and caused the destruction of properties worth millions of Naira at Dikko Junction in Gurara Local Government Area on Saturday,
Our correspondent reports that the explosion, which devastated the Kaduna-Abuja expressway, was attributed to the recklessness of some heavy-duty vehicle drivers.
Governor Bago, visibly shaken by the disaster, directed that all heavy-duty vehicles coming from the Maje axis must now pass beneath the abandoned Dikko Junction flyover bridge and take an appropriate U-turn, instead of using the overhead one-way route.
“This disaster could have been averted if heavy-duty vehicle drivers exercised more caution.
“To ensure safety, they must follow the designated route under the bridge going forward,”.the Governor emphasized.
To enforce this directive and bolster safety, Governor Bago instructed the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) to establish a detachment in the area and collaborate with transport unions to ensure compliance with road safety laws.
The Governor expressed deep sympathy for the victims, describing the tanker explosion as a “pathetic and avoidable tragedy.”
He acknowledged the swift response of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Fire Service, FRSC, and other agencies in evacuating victims and managing the crisis on the sad incident.
To support the injured, Governor Bago announced that doctors from Minna hospitals would be temporarily deployed to Suleja General Hospital, where survivors are receiving treatment.
Furthermore, he appealed to the federal government to expedite the completion of the Minna-Suleja road, stressing that the delay in its construction has contributed to frequent accidents on the busy route.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
