Osinbajo Visits Scene of Onitsha Tanker Accident, Commiserates with Victims

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday commiserated with the people and government of

 Anambra over the fuel tanker accident, which claimed over 40 lives at Upper Iweka in Onitsha.

Mr. Osinbajo, who visited the scene of the accident and the injured at Toronto Hospital on 

Wednesday, said President Muhammadu Buhari was very concerned and pained by the incident.
He said the president felt it was not enough to send a condolence message and as such asked him 

to go and commiserate with the people.

“Every Nigerian citizen matters to the Federal Government no matter his status or where

he resides. Mr President asked me to come and first commiserate with Gov. Willie Obiano 

and Anambra people. He was very concerned that he felt it was not enough to issue condolence

message and so asked me to come and commiserate with the people. 

I have been taken round to see the heroic action of the hospital staff and those 

involved in emergency. Unfortunately, many lost their lives but some have seen today 

and are responding to treatment,’’ he said.

Mr. Osinbajo told a crowd that gathered around Upper Iweka, scene of the accident, that 

he had been discussing with Gov. Obiano on possible ways the Federal Government and 

Anambra Government could cooperate to forestall further accident. He commended Mr. Obiano 

for undertaking to settle the hospital bills of the victims.

Earlier, while briefing the vice-president, Mr. Obiano said the Anambra Government 

had banned long trucks and petrol tankers from plying roads in Anambra during the day. 

The governor said the government had banned heavy duty vehicles from plying state roads,

 adding that they must trans-load their cargoes on getting to state roads.

According to him, the materials used in constructing state roads are not the same as the ones

 used in building federal roads and each time heavy duty trucks ply state roads, they cause 

heavy damage on them. (NAN)