Buhari Speaks On ‘Regrettable’ Onitsha Fire Incident
President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed his sadness at the loss of lives and properties in the Onitsha fire incident which occurred on Wednesday.
Naijaparry reports that a tanker carrying petroleum product lost control and fell around Upper Iweka area of Onitsha, Anambra state.
The petroleum product later caught fire and affected many shops and houses .
An eye witness had told NAN that no fewer than four persons have so far died in the incident as the fire later spread to Ochanga Market.
In a statement on his verified Twitter handle on Thursday, President Buhari called for urgent action on the part of those concerned “to stem these frequent fatal disaster on public roads”.
It reads: “The fire incident in Onitsha yesterday is sad and regrettable. I am profoundly touched by the sight of the charred remains of an innocent mother and her child, who are victims of this tragedy.
“I extend my sympathies to all the victims of the explosion, whose houses, shops and other property were destroyed.
“I am calling for urgent action on the part of those concerned to stem these frequent fatal disasters on public roads. Safety precautions and routine maintenance, often taken for granted by vehicle owners, must be enforced.
“I call on the Ministry of Transport, the Federal Road Safety Commission and other stakeholders to urgently address the issue of safety standards in Nigeria, with a view to stemming the frequency of these tragedies. May the souls of the dead rest in peace Amen.”
The fire incident in Onitsha yesterday is sad and regrettable. I am profoundly touched by the sight of the charred remains of an innocent mother and her child, who are victims of this tragedy.
— Muhammadu Buhari (@MBuhari) October 17, 2019
I am calling for urgent action on the part of those concerned to stem these frequent fatal disasters on public roads. Safety precautions and routine maintenance, often taken for granted by vehicle owners, must be enforced.
— Muhammadu Buhari (@MBuhari) October 17, 2019
I extend my sympathies to all the victims of the explosion, whose houses, shops and other property were destroyed.
— Muhammadu Buhari (@MBuhari) October 17, 2019
I call on the Ministry of Transport, the Federal Road Safety Commission and other stakeholders to urgently address the issue of safety standards in Nigeria, with a view to stemming the frequency of these tragedies. May the souls of the dead rest in peace Amen.
— Muhammadu Buhari (@MBuhari) October 17, 2019
Meanwhile, Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State has set up a panel of inquiry to investigate the cause of a tanker explosion that killed a woman and her child in Onitsha.
The governor disclosed this in a statement by the Commissioner for Information & Public Enlightenment, Don Adinuba, on Wednesday in Akwa, the state capital.