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The Senate has called for an investigation into the tanker explosion that occurred in Lagos on Thursday last week and claimed the lives of 12 people.
This followed a motion by Senator Gbenga Ashafa, supported by senators Oluremi Tinubu and Solomon Adeola. All three senators represent Lagos State.
Following the motion, the Senate directed its appropriate committee to dialogue with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation to find solutions to incidences of petrol tanker explosions in the country.
Specifically, the committee is to work with both organisations to design strategies to ensure that before petrol trucks are loaded, mandatory safety checks are put in place to ascertain the roadworthiness of the trucks.
“We urge the Nigeria Police to work in conjunction with the FRSC to carry out a thorough investigation of the circumstances leading to the accident that led to the fuel tanker fire, with the view to prosecuting anyone found culpable in this preventable fire incident,” the Senate said.
“The relevant committees of the Senate should invite the FRSC and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation with a view to finding a legislative solution towards ensuring that, before trucks are loaded, mandatory safety checks are put in place to ascertain the condition of the tankers and the roadworthiness of the vehicles.”
The tanker explosion in Lagos, apart from the lives claimed, affected 54 vehicles, led to panic and caused gridlock in Lagos.
It was one too many for Senator Ashafa.
The Senator told his colleagues that between 2015 and 2018, the same issues of fuel tanker infernos and accidents caused by fuels tankers still plague the highways.
He believes the trend will continue unless there is stricter enforcement of traffic safety rules by the FRSC, the police and other security agencies. That is in addition to safety checks on all petroleum tankers to ensure safer transportation of petroleum products across the country.
