Minister of Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, has expressed profound sympathy with the government and people of Niger State following the tragic explosion of a petrol-ladened tanker at Dikko Junction along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway.
The minister described the unfortunate incident, which resulted in the loss of lives and left several others injured, as heartbreaking and tragic.
In a statement issued on Saturday and made available to Tribune Online, Lokpobiri extended his heartfelt condolences to the families of those who lost their loved ones in the explosion.
“I am deeply saddened by this tragic event, and my thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families. May the souls of the departed find eternal rest, and may God grant their families the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss,” he said.
While praying for the speedy recovery of those who sustained injuries in the accident, the minister said, “To the injured, I pray for their swift and complete healing. This is a time for us to stand together as a nation in solidarity with all those affected by this tragedy.”
While emphasising the need for enhanced safety measures to minimize the occurrence of such incidents, Lokpobiri urged citizens to exercise 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-ladened 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.”
While noting that he has directed NMDPRA to commence investigation on the incident, the minister reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to ensuring the safety of petroleum transportation across the country, calling for sustained collaboration among relevant stakeholders to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
“This tragedy reminds us of the importance of collective responsibility. We must all work together, government, transport operators, and citizens to ensure that safety remains paramount in all aspects of petroleum distribution,” he noted.
Lokpobiri assured the people of Niger State of the Ministry’s support during this difficult period reiterating his unwavering commitment to promoting safety and well-being in all operations under his purview.
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