Buhari Mourns Onitsha Fire Victims

Pat Stevens/

President Muhammadu Buhari has sympathised with the victims of the petrol tanker fire incident in Onitsha, Anambra State yesterday.

The President also called on relevant agencies to ensure stricter enforcement of safety standards on the nation’s roads.

The President in a statement via his verified handle, @MBuhari, this morning, also said that he was “profoundly touched by the sight of the charred remains of an innocent mother and her child”, who were the only confirmed casualties of the tragedy.

Read Buhari’s full statement below:

The fire incident in Onitsha yesterday is sad and regrettable. I am profoundly touched by the sight of the charred remains of an innocent mother and her child, who are victims of this tragedy.

I extend my sympathies to all the victims of the explosion, whose houses, shops and other property were destroyed.

I am calling for urgent action on the part of those concerned to stem these frequent fatal disasters on public roads. Safety precautions and routine maintenance, often taken for granted by vehicle owners, must be enforced.

I call on the Ministry of Transport, the Federal Road Safety Commission and other stakeholders to urgently address the issue of safety standards in Nigeria, with a view to stemming the frequency of these tragedies. May the souls of the dead rest in peace Amen.