FG Orders Immediate Evacuation of Tanker Explosion Victims

This directive was announced by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, during visit to the Suleija General Hospital on Sunday. The move aims to ensure victims receive urgent and specialized care.

Idris, leading a high-powered government delegation, revealed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu expressed deep sadness over the tragedy. “The President is deeply saddened by what has happened,” Idris stated, highlighting the urgency of the situation. While touring the hospital, the delegation witnessed the critical condition of the victims, with one casualty reportedly passing away during their visit, marking the eighth fatality from the explosion.

To address the immediate health crisis, Idris confirmed that victims would be transported to Intensive Care Units in tertiary institutions for advanced treatment.

 The Minister commended the Niger State Government for its rapid response to the incident, including emergency medical assistance. “The federal government will ensure that all these victims are evacuated and given the necessary care,” Idris assured.

The incident has raised significant concern, with over 265 people having died in similar tanker explosions across Nigeria in the last five months.

 Idris revealed that a high-level committee had been constituted to investigate the causes of these accidents and recommend measures to prevent future occurrences. “The government is very worried, and as a result, a committee has been set up to find the causes and avoid recurrence,” he explained.

The delegation also visited the Emir of Suleija, Alhaji Auwal Ibrahim, to express condolences and toured the site of the explosion. As part of a broader strategy, the National Orientation Agency will intensify public awareness campaigns, particularly to deter individuals from engaging in dangerous acts like scooping fuel from accident sites. “Such actions are unacceptable to the government,” Idris stressed.