Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari says he is troubled by the
charred remains of mother and child killed in the Onitsha tanker
explosion.
“I am profoundly touched by the sight of the charred remains of an
innocent mother and her child who are victims of this tragedy,” the
president was quoted as saying in a statement by his spokesperson,
Garba Shehu.
“I also extend my sympathies to other victims of the explosion whose
houses, shops and other property were destroyed in the mishap.”
The president added, “While I express sadness over this tragedy, I
must at the same time call for urgent action on the part of those
concerned to stem these frequent fatal disasters on public roads.”
According to him, “safety precautions and routine maintenance are
taken for granted by vehicle owners".
"I call on the Ministry of Transport, the Federal Road Safety Corps
and other stakeholders to urgently address the issue of safety
standards in the country, with a view to stemming the embarrassing
frequency of these tragedies,” the statement noted.
A petrol tanker has exploded in the upper Iweka axis of Onitsha in
Anambra State after falling off its lane, killing a woman and her
child, ChannelsTV reports.
No fewer than 40 buildings, ranging from two-storey to four-storey
buildings were also razed in the explosion.
Over 500 lock-up shops were also gutted by the fire along the Iweka
street leading to Ochanja and Menax market.
The tanker’s head reportedly fell off and went up in flames after
spilling its content within the area.