The Minister of Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, has expressed profound sorrow over the tragic tanker explosion at Dikko Junction along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway, which claimed multiple lives and left several others injured.
Describing the incident as a heartbreaking tragedy, Lokpobiri extended his heartfelt condolences to the government and people of Niger State, as well as the families of the victims.
“I am deeply saddened by this tragic event, and my thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families,” he said in a statement issued on Saturday by his Special Adviser on Media and Communication, Nneamaka Okafor.
“May the souls of the departed find eternal rest, and may God grant their families the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss.”
“To the injured, I pray for their swift and complete healing. This is a time for us to stand together as a country in solidarity with all those affected by this tragedy,” he added.
Lokpobiri called for enhanced safety measures to prevent future occurrences of such incidents, emphasizing the importance of public caution during emergencies involving petrol-laden tankers.
“As much as we strive to implement safety measures across the petroleum supply chain, I must strongly appeal to the public to avoid approaching petrol-laden tankers in the event of an accident.
“I have appealed this severally; the risks are enormous, and lives are too precious to be lost unnecessarily.”
The Minister disclosed that he had directed the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to commence an investigation into the incident.
He also reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to ensuring the safety of petroleum transportation across the country.
