Prominent Nigerian politician Peter Obi has sympathised with the families of those who lost their lives to the tanker explosion in Jigawa, News About Nigeria reports.
The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general elections made this known in a statement via his verified handle on X on Wednesday.
According to reports, over 90 lives were lost to the fuel tanker explosion on Tuesday night, with over 50 people suffering varying degrees of injuries.
Obi lamented that the loss of lives is becoming rampant in the country, adding that it is becoming increasingly difficult to keep count.
He, however, urged Nigerians to desist from the habit of scooping fuel from fallen fuel tankers, highlighting the dangers it poses.
According to Obi, despite the extremely difficult times, people should desist from taking such dangerous risks.
He said, “Sadly, the ugly news of the loss of lives has become so rampant that one can hardly keep pace of the counts.
“It’s yet another sad day in our nation as the very precious lives of our brothers and sisters were lost in very painful circumstances.
“Reports from Jigawa State have it that over 90 lives were lost to a fuel tanker explosion last night, with over 50 people suffering varying degrees of injuries.
“Police reports from the incident confirm that such a high number of casualties were recorded because people gathered in their numbers to scoop fuel from a fallen fuel tanker.
“This repeated practice of rushing to scoop and fetch petroleum products from accident scenes involving tankers has continued to cost us precious lives in their numbers.
“Understandably, times are extremely hard, and out of desperation and poverty, our people take dangerous risks just to make ends meet.
“But we cannot continue to lose precious lives in this tragic manner. A combination of poverty and dangerous ignorance has raised the risk in common accident.
“I sincerely commiserate with the families of the victims, the government, and the people of Jigawa State over this tragic incident while praying to God to give them, and all of us, the fortitude to bear this very sad loss.
“May God Almighty forgive the sins of the dead, grant them eternal rest, and grant quick and full recovery to the injured.”
