181 people died in Jigawa tanker explosion – Gov. Namadi

By Salif Atojoko

Jigawa governor, Umar Namadi, has revealed that 181 lives were lost in the tanker explosion that occurred in the state on October 15.

Speaking after a visit to President Bola Tinubu at the Aso Rock presidential villa on Tuesday, Namadi told journalists that 80 people were also hospitalised as a result of the injury they sustained from the incident while a total of 210 families were affected.

Namadi added that the state government had paid the medical bills of all the people hospitalised and carried out a lot of interventions to bring succour to the affected families.

The governor said he was at the State House to welcome the president back from his annual leave and to brief him on the tanker explosion which he described as tragic.

“I felt it is important to come and brief the president on what we are doing as government and also thank him for sending a delegation immediately the incident happened.

“This action taken by Mr President has been appreciated by the people of Jigawa.

“So, I felt I should come to thank him for doing that, and also to brief him on the situation; where we are and what we are trying to do,” said Namadi.

“Mr President has promised to intervene and assist the victims.

“The state government has already established a high-powered committee, headed by a retired DIG, to find out the remote cause and advise the government.

“You should also remember that Mr President gave a directive immediately to the Corps Marshal to investigate the matter and come up with a permanent solution to this problem (tanker explosions) in the country,” he said.

The incident occured in Majia town in the Taura Local Government Area of Jigawa State when a truck carrying petrol, travelling from Kano to Nguru in Yobe State overturned and residents swarmed the vehicle to scoop petrol.

The tanker later exploded in Majia, resulting in deaths of many who were busy scooping petrol in the predominantly agrarian community