Undoubtedly Parents, friends, brothers, and sisters will never forget the unprecedented petroleum tanker inferno incidence that occurred last Tuesday night situation which plunged the ancient town into anxiety, fear, and state of sorrow. The explosion which so far led to the death of over 171 young men with over 71 others left with severe burnt in Majiya town in Taura local government area of Jigawa state.
An eyewitness, Aminu Ismail an SS 2 student at Government Day Senior Secondary School Majiya narrates his experiences of the recent petroleum tanker inferno as saying “I was watching helplessly when many of my schoolmates including three of my classroom mates burnt to ashes in the tanker explosion accident”
Amiru Ismail Majia, another eyewitness, said he was not more than 40 meters away from the first explosion and then the second one burst.
“The tanker fell at around 11:30 and knowing the danger the security quickly condoned the place to prevent people from getting there”
“Unfortunately the petroleum spilled through the gutter to another point where people started scooping it, even at that point there was an attempt to disperse the people but they resisted.
“To me, economic hardship is one of the contributory factors that made people defy security warnings and move ahead to scooping the spilled petroleum in the gutter while some number
“I saw when a mobile police an indigene of Majia who was on medical leave from his station named Kasim Habu went there warning people of the danger but unfortunately before he left the place the explosion occurred and he met his untimely death.”
According to him, three of his mates, Sani Umar 17 years old, Yusuf Haruna, and Saidu Haladu, among many students died in the accident as 90 percent of the victims were youths.”
Malama Rabi Salisu who lost her 22-year-old son, Ibrahim Salisu, said the whole town was thrown into state of anxiety, confusion, and commotion as parents were busy looking for their children and loved ones.
“I joined in searching for my child Ibrahim, but I could not see him that very night, though I still have hope that, my child was alive hiding somewhere for safety.
“In the following morning of Wednesday, we kept on searching with the hope of getting him alive until after the mass burial of 107 victims my hope was dashed and concluded that he was in the mass grave” Rabi stated while shedding tears.
Most of the victims were burnt beyond recognition and no one could identify their loved ones, as every family was made to assume their child had gone after 20 hours of searching without seeing him in the town.
As Majia community continues to mourn their loss of the young and abled, the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) as of Friday reported that the death toll hit 180. Over 70 injured are now lying in different health facilities such as Federal University Dutse Teaching Hospital in Dutse, the Federal Medical Centres of Nguru, Azare, and Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital.
Visiting the hospitals it was learned that all the survivors were in intensive Care Units (ICU) and could only be accessed by medical personnel on duty and or on special duty.
Malam Isa Mainingi who lost three of his children said he was forced to accept his children were in the mass grave after all searches to lay his eyes on them proved abortive.
“I can’t say anything, except to pray to Almighty Allah to give their souls eternal rest in the Jannatul Firdausi,” Mai-Ningi stated
Speaking to our Correspondent, another eyewitness Ibrahim Shehu said, that when the tanker fell down the petroleum started spilling through the gutter before the tanker exploded.
“The fire was not started from the tanker it started from the gutter where people gathered scooping the petroleum.
“Honestly speaking police and Civil Defense Corps had tried to stop people from scooping the petroleum but they were overpowered, unfortunately, see what happened,” the eyewitness stated.
Mustapha Shehu who lost his 25-year-old brother in the inferno said, every family in the town had directly or indirectly lost their loved ones, describing the incidence as worst disaster that engulfed the town, adding that “it is the biggest catastrophe we ever had in the history of Majia town.”
“Everybody in this town is in mourning period, saying we run short of words, except reciting the prayer “Innalillahi Wa’inna Ilaihi Rajiuun”
For Mustapha Abdusalam Majiya who was physically and emotionally touched and couldn’t control the tears dropping from his eyes said, he lost over 50 of his blood relations to the episode.
“I told you we have an extended family in Majiya, as at now we are counting more than 50 whom we have lost in the tragedy from sons and grandsons of our family”
In his remarks while receiving his Kano counterpart, Governor Umar Namadi said, the Tanker explosion was the biggest catastrophe in the history of the state.
He explained that, as the number of deaths continued to rise, it was very terrifying to note that, over 90 percent of the victims were Youths.
In his remarks after visiting the scene the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, (SGF) who led the Federal government delegation to Jigawa state, Senator George Akume said, President Tinubu was touched by the huge loss of lives in the accident and assured that all necessary measures would be taken to investigate the incidence while taking appropriate actions to prevent future occurrences.
Also speaking while on sympathy visit on the people and government of Jigawa state, the Chairman Governors Forum and Kwara state Governor, Abdulfatah said, the NGF forum Commiserate with the Jigawa state government and all the good people of the state over the incident.
“At our forum, we will discuss the situation and deliberate on the need to enforce more safety measures on our roads,” Abdulfatah stated.
According to Dr. Akinwomi Abdullahi Ademola, Deputy Head of Clinical Services FMC Nguru, the situation is very critical to manage as doctors spend more than 12 hours treating the victims.
He noted that the extent of burns is severe, with most patients suffering over 70% of body burns.
“Despite the challenges, medical teams remain committed to rescue the lives of the victims as additional resources were mobilized to cope with the situation,” Dr Akinwomi stated.
