TheCitizen - It's all about you
  • Home
  • Headlines
  • Latest News
  • Governance
  • Business
  • Financial Crimes
  • Opinion
  • Editorials
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Headlines
  • Latest News
  • Governance
  • Business
  • Financial Crimes
  • Opinion
  • Editorials
No Result
View All Result
TheCitizen - It's all about you
No Result
View All Result

The tanker explosion in Onitsha – Thisday

The Citizen by The Citizen
October 18 2019
in Public Affairs
A A
0
The tanker explosion in Onitsha – Thisday
22
SHARES
734
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

The authorities must do more about the deplorable state of roads across the country

For the third time within the past 10 months, and a second time in Onitsha, Anambra State in the past four years, it was another hell on earth for several families on Thursday following the explosion of a fuel-laden tanker. Dozens of residential buildings and hundreds of lock- up shops were gutted by the fire. But the most tragic fall-out was the death of a woman and her daughter in the inferno. According to reports, the vehicle was descending from the Zik’s roundabout end of Onitsha -Enugu expressway when the driver lost control and veered off the service lane. The tanker’s head reportedly fell off and went up in flames after spilling its content within the area.

In January this year, exactly six months after a tanker truck loaded with petrol fell and spilled its contents on the Otedola Bridge axis on Lagos-Ibadan expressway, bursting into flames and killing several motorists, a similar tragedy occurred in Odukpani Local Government Area of Cross River State. The tanker was heading outside the state capital when the driver reportedly lost control of the steering in a futile attempt to dodge a pothole. While the villagers who had rushed to the scene to scoop fuel from the upturned tanker were still busy filling their jerry cans, an oncoming vehicle was said to have hit the tanker, causing an instant explosion.

In the wake of these tragedies, there has been unending debate about the nightmare that fuel tanker drivers have become in our country in recent years. In four separate incidents within a spate of one week in 2015, no fewer than 100 people were killed with property worth hundreds of millions of naira destroyed. Four years ago in the same Onitsha, no fewer than 85 fatalities were recorded when a petrol-laden tanker lost control‎ and rammed into a public motor park. Several buildings, vehicles and property worth millions of naira were consumed by the fire. Scores of others with different degrees of burns are also still in various hospitals across the state.

While we commiserate with the families of those who lost their lives in the most recent cases, we would like to again restate this newspaper’s position on the dangers posed by tanker drivers. In most countries, petroleum products are transported through pipelines and not by putting thousands of vehicles on the road every day as we do in Nigeria. A solution has to be found to that challenge. Meanwhile, we urge the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO) and the police ‎to collaborate in jointly enforcing traffic rules across the country to stop these avoidable and senseless mayhem.

For years, many Nigerians have been at the mercy of these killer-drivers whose daredevilry on the road have claimed the lives of numerous innocent citizens. These drivers have no regard for traffic rules and regulations and under the cover of a strong union that goes on strike at the slightest excuse, they have become laws unto themselves. The manner in which they go about terrorising other road users had always left the public wondering whether these drivers were under some instruction to break the rules of civilised conduct.

The number of fatalities arising from petrol tanker explosions on our roads is unacceptable. That is aside the billions of naira that is lost to such fire incidents and the survivors who are scarred for life. If we are not to continue counting body bags, the authorities must do something about the deplorable state of most roads across Nigeria.

Share9Tweet6
Previous Post

Buhari approves N10bn intervention fund for Enugu airport

Next Post

Redundant agencies – The Nation

Related Posts

Nigeria’s manufacturing: A call for revamp – Punch
Public Affairs

Nigeria’s manufacturing: A call for revamp – Punch

June 11 2025
Protecting children from online predators – Punch
Public Affairs

Protecting children from online predators – Punch

June 8 2025
Insecurity: Enough is enough – Tinubu tells NSA, Security Chiefs
Public Affairs

Tinubu chants tiresome borrowing tune – Punch

June 1 2025
Auctioning Emefiele’s duplexes – Punch
Public Affairs

Auctioning Emefiele’s duplexes – Punch

May 27 2025
Corruption-ridden constituency projects – Punch
Public Affairs

Corruption-ridden constituency projects – Punch

May 26 2025
Nigeria’s death-trap roads – Punch
Public Affairs

Nigeria’s death-trap roads – Punch

May 20 2025
Next Post

Redundant agencies – The Nation

8th Senate worst in attendance – Ndume

Downsizing parliament: Lessons from Italy - Punch

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

FROM THE GRASSROOTS

Imo communities decry govt takeover of farmland

Imo communities decry govt takeover of farmland

by The Editor
May 29 2025
0

...

North-Central stakeholders demand return of APC National Chairman slot

Lagos APC aspirants protest over LG primaries

by The Editor
May 13 2025
0

...

Rivers LGs urge Ibas to tackle kidnapping, herdsmen attacks

Rivers LGs urge Ibas to tackle kidnapping, herdsmen attacks

by The Editor
May 8 2025
0

...

1,796 die in boundary, communal clashes in seven years

1,796 die in boundary, communal clashes in seven years

by The Editor
May 6 2025
0

...

APPOINTMENTS

Benue governor appoints TuFace Idibia as adviser

Benue governor appoints TuFace Idibia as adviser

by The Editor
April 23 2025
0

...

Gov. Diri heads PDP convention zoning committee

Gov. Diri heads PDP convention zoning committee

by The Editor
April 15 2025
0

...

NNPCL welcomes Ojulari, bids Kyari farewell

NNPCL welcomes Ojulari, bids Kyari farewell

by The Editor
April 2 2025
0

...

Tinubu extends Immigration CG Nandap’s tenure till 2026

Tinubu extends Immigration CG Nandap’s tenure till 2026

by The Editor
March 31 2025
0

...

ODDITIES

Ladies who wear leg chains are prostitutes, says Pastor Ibiyeomie

Ladies who wear leg chains are prostitutes, says Pastor Ibiyeomie

by The Editor
May 27 2025
0

Probe begins as Plateau market fire guts 107 shops

Father sets wife, children ablaze over alleged infidelity, daughter dies

by The Editor
May 20 2025
0

Kano varsity shuts female hostel over immorality

Kano varsity shuts female hostel over immorality

by The Editor
May 13 2025
0

GLOBAL NEWS

Equatorial Guinea warns against US travel after Trump ban

Equatorial Guinea warns against US travel after Trump ban

by The Editor
June 11 2025
0

...

Ghana bans use of honorary doctorate, professorship titles in public

Ghana bans use of honorary doctorate, professorship titles in public

by The Editor
June 10 2025
0

...

Rwanda pulls out of regional bloc over DR Congo row

Rwanda pulls out of regional bloc over DR Congo row

by The Editor
June 8 2025
0

...

Trump sends National Guard to Los Angeles over immigration raids protests

Trump sends National Guard to Los Angeles over immigration raids protests

by The Editor
June 8 2025
0

...

Plane carrying 20 people crashes in US

Plane carrying 20 people crashes in US

by The Editor
June 8 2025
0

...

State of the States

Enugu governor promises to immortalise music icon, Mike Ejeagha

Enugu governor promises to immortalise music icon, Mike Ejeagha

by The Editor
June 7 2025
0

...

Kano: Supreme Court reserves judgement on appeal against Gov. Yusuf’s sack

Gov. Yusuf declares Monday public holiday to mourn Kano athletes

by The Editor
June 1 2025
0

...

Ondo governor approves employment of 1,100 primary school teachers

Gov. Aiyedatiwa approves upgrade of 102 Ondo health centres

by The Editor
May 27 2025
0

...

Lagos to introduce monthly rent payment system

Lagos to introduce monthly rent payment system

by The Editor
May 15 2025
0

...

Plugin Install : Widget Tab Post needs JNews - View Counter to be installed
  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
BREAKING: Air India flight to London crashes with 242 on board

BREAKING: Air India flight to London crashes with 242 on board

June 12 2025
Equatorial Guinea warns against US travel after Trump ban

Equatorial Guinea warns against US travel after Trump ban

June 11 2025
Nigeria’s manufacturing: A call for revamp – Punch

Nigeria’s manufacturing: A call for revamp – Punch

June 11 2025
2027: Only a strong northern candidate can unseat Tinubu, says Dele Momodu

Nigeria now ruled by civilian dictators, says Dele Momodu

June 11 2025

EDITORIAL REVIEW

Nigeria’s manufacturing: A call for revamp – Punch

Nigeria’s manufacturing: A call for revamp – Punch

by The Editor
June 11 2025
0

Protecting children from online predators – Punch

Protecting children from online predators – Punch

by The Editor
June 8 2025
0

Insecurity: Enough is enough – Tinubu tells NSA, Security Chiefs

Tinubu chants tiresome borrowing tune – Punch

by The Editor
June 1 2025
0

Auctioning Emefiele’s duplexes – Punch

Auctioning Emefiele’s duplexes – Punch

by The Editor
May 27 2025
0

Corruption-ridden constituency projects – Punch

Corruption-ridden constituency projects – Punch

by The Editor
May 26 2025
0

Opinion

Supreme Court affirms Mbah as Enugu State Governor

2027: Mbah, PDP and newfound political romance in Enugu

by The Editor
May 17 2025
0

...

Nigeria should emulate India’s blueprint for development

Nigeria should emulate India’s blueprint for development

by The Editor
April 21 2025
0

...

Much ado about immortalising Humphrey Nwosu

Much ado about immortalising Humphrey Nwosu

by The Editor
March 31 2025
0

...

Exit of Sahel Republics from ECOWAS – Vanguard

ECOWAS @ 50: The Mythology, Reality and the So What?

by The Editor
March 16 2025
0

...

Plugin Install : Popular Post Widget need JNews - View Counter to be installed
  • Home
  • Headlines
  • Latest News
  • Governance
  • Business
  • Financial Crimes
  • Opinion
  • Editorials

© 2024 TheCitizen Ng. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Headlines
  • Latest News
  • Governance
  • Business
  • Financial Crimes
  • Opinion
  • Editorials

© 2024 TheCitizen Ng. All Rights Reserved.