Niger Tanker Explosion: Northern Senators commiserate with victims

Senators of the nineteen northern states under the aegis of Northern Senators Forum, NSF have mourned the death of over eighty persons following the tragic tanker explosion that occurred on Saturday at Dikko Junction along the Abuja-Kaduna expressway in Niger State.

In a statement on Monday in Abuja by the Chairman of NSF, Senator Abdulaziz Musa Yar’adua, APC, Katsina Central while commiserating with the victims, urged the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC and other relevant agencies to ensure that all tankers and heavy-duty vehicles are roadworthy and adhere to strict safety standards.

The statement read, “The Northern Senators are deeply saddened over the recent tragic petrol tanker explosion at Dikko junction on Saturday, 18th January, 2025, that have claimed numerous lives and left many others injured.

“This devastating incident highlights the need for greater vigilance and enforcement of safety regulations on our roads. This incident could have been avoided if the enforcement agencies had taken precautionary steps.

“We therefore call on relevant agencies, including the Federal Road Safety Corps, to ensure that all tankers and heavy-duty vehicles are roadworthy and adhere to strict safety standards. The enormous damage caused by such breakdowns is unacceptable and preventable. We also urge Nigerians to refrain from scooping fuel in the event of such incidents as it can have devastating consequences.

“As we mourn the loss of lives, the forum offers its sincerest condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims. May God grant the souls of all that was lost eternal rest.”