No fewer than twenty-three people have been killed on Wednesday morning in Lokoja, Kogi State as a result of petrol tanker explosion.
The petrol tanker, fully loaded with premium motor spirit and belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, (NNPC) was said to have had brake failure around 8 am at GT Plaza in Felele, and rammed into five cars, two motorbikes and three tricycles popularly known as Keke NAPEP killing all occupants.
Among those killed and burnt beyond recognition include students of Kogi State Polytechnic, nursery school children, students and passersby.
Also, a man identified simply as Samson, who was selling sewing machines somewhere in Lokoja and wanted to drop his children off at school as he normally does before driving to his shop was killed, including his wife and three children.
Eye witness account at the accident scene said the brake of the tanker loaded with PMS had failed in an attempt to manoeuvre, fell on its side and five vehicles trying to overtake it.
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“I was about to cross the road when I noticed the tanker driver signalling to motorists to steer clear, but before I could say, Jack Robinson, the tanker was on its side falling on all vehicles beside it.
“Immediately the tanker fell, a fire started and incinerated all vehicles along its way,” he said.
No fewer than five cars, two tricycles and three motorcycles were burnt.
Members of the road safety corps who arrived around 10 am came with an Ambulance from the Rescue/rehabilitation team to evacuate the corpses burnt beyond recognition while locals made frantic efforts to identify them.
Meanwhile, the Kogi State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Mr Idris Fika Ali said 23 persons were killed in the explosion while one child escaped with injuries.
According to him, those killed include ten male adults, six female adults, three female children while four other children were burnt beyond recognition.
He stated that five cars, one tanker, three Keke NAPEP and two motorcycles were involved.
Meanwhile, the Kogi State governor Alhaji Yahaya Bello has expressed shock and sorrow over the fatal petrol tanker explosion’
A statement issued immediately after the incident by the chief press secretary to the governor, Onogwu Mohammed said that “Governor Bello is very sad to learn of the tragic loss of lives, many vehicles, property and other valuables in the petrol tanker explosion while expressing his deepest condolences to the family of those affected by the ugly occurrence.
He said this is sadly the greatest tragedy the state has witnessed in recent times while describing the unfortunate accident as a sad development and shares the feeling of those who lost their loved ones in the incident.
The governor also urged the students of Kogi State Polytechnic to remain calm and peaceful, stating that he equally shared in their grieving moment over the death of some of their colleagues in the disaster.
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