Buhari Mourns Gas Explosion Victims, Consoles Emefiele, Mustapha

President Mohammadu has expressed his heart-felt sympathy over the terrible gas explosion that claimed the lives of Nigerians at the Industrial city of Nnewi in Anambra state. The incident which occurred on Thursday 24^th December left a fatal scene of charred bodies of the victims including customers that came for refill in preparation of the Christmas, neighbours and passers-by within the area. Several others injured were rushed to the hospitals for treatment while houses, vehicles and other valuable properties worth millions of naira were lost in the inferno.

In a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu stated that the President was dumbfounded and saddened by the quantum of loss recorded in such a single incident particularly the population of victims, which he noted have inarguably devastated their respective families, sadly while in preparation to join millions of Christians across the globe to celebrate Christmas.

“The President extended his condolences to the families of the victims, the people and government of Anambra state over what he described as an ‘unfortunate tragedy on Christmas eve,” he said.

“My heart and prayers go out to these grieving families at this difficult and painful moment,” the President said.

In similar situation, the President has condoled with the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Emefiele and the Lamido of Adamawa, Alhaji Bakindo Mustapha who both lost their mothers recently. According to Shehu, the President who personally made telephone calls to condole the two citizens stated that “a mother is an invaluable component of family life, and comforter of the children.” He finally prayed for the deceased and for the bereaved and their entire families for the fortitude to bear the great losses.  

In the same order with the President, the National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress, APC,  Chief John Odigie-Oyegun has also commiserated with the families of the victims of the fatal gas explosion. In his statement, he described the incident as “tragic and regrettable”. He added, “My prayers and condolences go out to the families of the victims of the gas explosion. I pray that the almighty God gives them the fortitude to bear the painful loss.”  He also extended his condolence to the government and people of Anambra state as well as the CBN governor, and finally the Lamido of Adamawa over the loss of their mothers. He equally prayed that God would grant the families the strength to overcome at this trial moment.

Similarly, the former governor of Anambra state, Mr. Peter Obi also condoled with the people of Nnewi and the state at large describing the incident as most unfortunate. He equally prayed for the souls of the departed and the bereaved.

Meanwhile, the Anambra State Police Command has on Friday stated that its rescue operation with other government agencies is yielding result adding that it has recovered more two burnt bodies in the incident which it described as body of the mother and her baby. According to the state’s PPRO, Ali Okechukwu, “six other persons badly burnt were rushed to Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi and subsequently referred to University of Nigeria Teaching hospital, Enugu.