Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and State Police Commissioner CP Wale Abass have blamed the victims and the federal government for a tanker explosion on the Warri-Benin motorway on Sunday.
While the governor blamed the tragedy on the bad condition of federal roadways, the state police commissioner blamed it on greed.
The governor once again urged the federal government to move quickly to reconstruct failed sections of the road, while the state’s police chief advised youths to avoid areas where oil spills occur because they pose a serious threat to their lives and the lives of others.
The governor, through his Chief Press Secretary, Festus Ahon, warned the public against attempting to gather petroleum from a fallen truck, calling it a ticking time bomb.
He also expressed his unhappiness with Nigerians’ inexorable perversity, particularly among youths, noting that it is unfortunate that we never learn from past incidents, as this is not the first time such an incident has occurred.
Bright Edafe, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Delta Command, spoke for the command, saying the fire killed five youths who had come to scoop the spilled fuel and also combusted several properties, including the fallen tanker, eight buses of various makes, two tankers, five trailers, two motorcycles, one Sienna space bus, and one ‘C’ Class Mercedes-Benz car.
According to him, the corpses of the victims were removed to the mortuary at Oghara General Hospital due to the fire.
“In a bid to clear the road of obstructions, efforts are being made by the men of Oghara Police Division, in collaboration with the Federal Road Safety Commission {FRSC} at Ethiope West LGA to ensure the free flow of traffic.
“In the light of this tragic incident, the Delta State Police Command, CP Wale Abass, extends his condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in this unfortunate event.”
The CP also appreciated the Federal Road Safety for working hand in hand with the Command to assure convenience to all road users in Delta State.