Reps Investigate Niger, Other Petroleum Tanker Explosions
By Juliet Vincent
The House of Representatives is set to investigate the fuel tanker explosion at Dikko junction, Gurara Local Government Area of Niger State and other incidents across the country which claimed hundreds of lives while properties worth millions destroyed.
The House made the resolution after the adoption of a motion on matters of urgent public importance moved by Rep. Adamu Tanko (PDP, Niger) at Plenary on Thursday.
While presenting the motion, the lawmaker stated that, over 100 lives including women, children and men were lost on Sunday, 18th January, 2025, when a tanker laden with Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS) lost control at Dikko Junction, Gurara Local government area of Niger state.
He said, “Numerous lives were lost and many others sustained different degrees of injuries, with countless properties destroyed including vehicles, buildings and shops.
“The incident hindered normal, social and economic activities of the people and led to untold hardship in the Local Government.
“Dangerous and arbitrary parking by truck drivers has over time limited the free flow of vehicular movement on the highway leading to the frequent loss of lives on the road”.
Rep. Tanko said the recurrence of these horrible incidents across the country was disturbing especially in view of the inadequate expertise on the part of the tanker drivers to efficiently handie the inflammable contents in a safe and professional manner.
The lawmaker expressed appreciation to the Niger state Government under Governor Umar Mohammad Bago and the federal government for the prompt attention given to the victims during and after the incident.
The House adopted the motion and observed a minute silence In honour of the deceased and urged the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development to broaden the distribution of relief materials to all affected victims including increased attention to the injured.
It resolved to investigate the cause of the incident with a view of proffering solutions and preventing recurrence in other parts of the country and mandates the Nigeria Police Force the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) to take more proactive measures in protecting the Nigerian highways against arbitrary roadside parking by truck drivers.
