How Enugu petrol tanker explosion wiped out family of 11

Tragedy struck on Saturday as a fuel tanker explosion at Ugwu Onyeama in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State wiped out an entire family of eleven, natives of Abofia Agbaja in Ebonyi Local Government Area, Ebonyi State.

The victims, including Jeremiah Nwaji, his wife, six children, a brother, and two servants, were traveling in a Sienna vehicle en route to Ebonyi State for their late father’s burial when the explosion occurred. The fuel tanker fire engulfed their vehicle, leaving no survivors.

Speaking amidst tears on Monday, Mr. Ikechukwu Nwaji, a bereaved brother of the victims, narrated that Jeremiah, the family’s breadwinner, borrowed a friend’s Sienna to transport his family and belongings from Onitsha, Anambra State, to their village for the funeral. The tragic incident has left the family and community in shock.

Ikechukwu called on President Bola Tinubu’s administration to implement stricter regulations, including banning daytime movement of tankers carrying Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and gas, to prevent similar tragedies.

He lamented the frequent loss of lives in avoidable tanker explosions and urged the government to prioritize public safety.

His words: “It was disheartening that we lost eleven members of the family in a controllable situation involving my eldest brother and bread winner of our family, his wife, six children who are among a twin, our last born, our brother’s house help and servants.

“They were in Sienna vehicle coming to Ebonyi State from Anambra where the incident occurred and were coming for our father’s burial which was scheduled to come this week Friday before his own dead leaving the family with two siblings as my mother gave birth to four males.

“As done in advanced countries, our family is pleading with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to revisit the policy that stipulated that tankers should only move by night as seen before that drivers moved from 9:00 O’clock in the night till early morning where they pack to continue the next day, seeing the havoc it is causing in our country.”

On her part, the bereaved sister and a widow, Mrs Chiamaka Onyibe, narrated that the victim was the one paying her children’s school fees since she lost her husband. She lamented that the family has lost their divine helper coupled with the fact that they were relocated to the family house by now-late brother since she lost her husband.

The deceased who was identified as a class mate (2004 set) of the Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, was one of his campaign coordinators before his death.