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ADAMU AMADU visited Majiya town, Taura Local Government Area in Jigawa State, the site of a petrol tanker explosion that claimed close to 200 lives. He spoke with families of the victims and eyewitnesses of the tragedy. His report:
Parents, friends and family in Majiya town, Taura Local Government Area in Jigawa State, have narrated their horror and sorrow from the tanker explosion which has so far led to the death of over 180 people and left over 80 others with severe burns. Survivors are still receiving treatment in different hospitals in Jigawa, Kano and Yobe states.
Visiting Majiya village where the incident happened, Nigerian Tribune discussed with a 21-year-old Usman Rabi’u Majiya who said he lost cousins, a brother and seven of his friends who were his classmates at Majiya Senior Secondary School and wrote their SSCE examination just last year.
Rabi’u Majiya noted that they were together that fateful evening when they decided to go to their local football field. He recalled their final moments together: “I and a friend, Nura, did not play. Najib Sani and Kamalu played the game. We came back together and we all left for our houses to shower and go for evening prayer. That was the last time they were seen.”
Another person, Adamu Ibrahim, who spoke in tears, narrated that he lost two of his uncles and five of his 12 schoolmates as victims, of which eight were his classmates. He said, “the senior secondary schools here is a day school. Those that died were mostly males of the age from 15 years and above.”
Manniru Haruna an SS II student of Government Day Senior Secondary School Majiya said, “I was watching helplessly when many of my school mates including three of my classmates, were being burnt to ashes in the tanker.”
Manniru, who was an eye witness said, he was not more than 40 metres away when the first explosion occurred, followed by the second one from the petroleum tanker.
He said, “The tanker fell at around 11:30pm and knowing the danger it posed, the security agents quickly cordoned the place to prevent people from getting there.
“Unfortunately, the petroleum spilled through 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 the economic hardship is one of the contributory factors that made people to defy the warning of security men and move ahead to scoop the spilt petroleum product from the gutter.
“I saw when a mobile policeman, an indigene of Majiya, who was on medical leave from his station, went there warning the people on the danger. But unfortunately, before he left the place, the explosion occurred and suffered his untimely death.”
He added, “Three of my classmates I lost included Sani Umar, Yusif Haruna and Saidu Haladu. There were many students that died in the accident. Most of the victims were youth.”
Speaking to Nigerian Tribune another eyewitness, Ibrahim Shehu said, “When the tanker fell, the content started spilling through the gutter.”
He noted that people started scooping the petroleum into various containers and in that process a fire broke out and spread to the tanker which exploded within seconds.
“The fire actually did not start from the tanker. It started from the gutter where people had gathered to scoop the petroleum.
“Honestly, the police and Civil Defence Corps tried to stop people from scooping the petroleum, but they were overpowered. Unfortunately, see what happened,” the eye witness stated.
Malama Rabi Salisu, who lost her 22-year-old son, Ibrahim Salisu, said that when the accident occurred, the whole town was thrown into 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 find him that night. I still had hope that my child was alive hiding somewhere for safety.
“The following morning of Wednesday, we kept on searching with the hope of finding him alive until after the mass burial of 107 victims; my hope was dashed and I concluded that he was in the mass grave,” Rabi stated while shedding tears.
The bodies of the victims were burnt beyond recognition and no one could confidently identify their loved ones. Every family was made to assume their loved one was dead after 20 hours of fruitless searching around the town.
As the Majiya community continues to count the loss of their young and able children, data from the State Emergency Management Agency as of Monday had it that the death toll had risen to 181.
Nigerian Tribune gathered that there were more than 75 survivors recuperating in intensive care units (ICUs) and can only be accessed by medical personnel on duty and other personnel on special duties.
Visiting the Ringim general hospital hospitals and Rasheed Shekoni Federal Teaching Hospital in Dutse, Nigerian Tribune learnt that some patients were responding to treatment while others were still in precarious condition.
At Ringim General Hospital, Nigerian Tribune saw patients suffering from intense heat as there was no public electricity supply and no standby generator. It was the patients’ relatives who were kept busy fanning the patients with local hand fans.
At the general hospital, a patient was found at the verandah behind the Accident and Emergency unit on the bare floor in a serious pain.
Malam Isa Mainingi, who lost three of his children, said he was forced to accept that his children were in the mass grave after all searching prove abortive.
“I can’t say anything except to pray to Almighty Allah to give their souls eternal rest in the Jannatul Firdausi,” Mainingi stated
Mustapha Shehu, who lost his 25-year-old brother in the inferno, said every family in the town had lost a loved one. “This is a biggest catastrophe we ever had in the history of Majiya town. Everybody in this town is mourning. We have nothing to say other than Inalillahi Wanna Ilaihi Rajuun”
Nura Halidu Majiya who was physical and emotionally touched, he could not control his tears, said he lost over 50 of his blood relatives.
“I told you we have an extended family in Majiya. As at now we are counting more than 50 who we have lost in the tragedy from sons and grandsons of our family. I can’t add anything except Innalillahi Wanna Ilaihi Rajiun,” said Nura.
The Jigawa State governor, Malam Umar Namadi, led government officials to attend the funeral prayers and mass burial of the deceased at Majiya village.
The governor further announced that the state government would pay all medical bills of all the injured ones.
Over 80 patients who sustained burns were spread to different general hospitals including Rasheed Shekoni Teaching Hospital in Jigawa, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital in Kano and Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Nguru, Yobe State depending on the level of the injury.
According to Dr Akinwumi 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 casualties.”
He noted that the extent of burns was severe, with most patients suffering over 70 percent bodily burns.
“Despite the challenges, medical teams remain committed to rescue the lives of the victims, even as additional resources are being mobilised to cope with the situation,” Dr Akinwumi stated.
As of press time, doctors are still battling to save the lives of the victims of the Jigawa tanker explosion.
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