By CHARLES IWUOHA

The fuel tanker explosion that occurred on Saturday at the Ugwu Onyeama in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State has wiped out the lives of a family of eleven who were natives of Abofia Agbaja in Ebonyi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.

The bereaved brother of the victims, Mr Ikechukwu Nwaji, who spoke with News Express amidst tears on Monday, said that the fuel tanker explosion claimed the entire family of Jeremiah Nwaji in their private Sienna while they were on the way to Ebonyi for their late father?s burial.

Ikechukwu Nwaji narrated that Jeremiah was on his way from Onitsha, Anambra State, with his six children, wife, brother and his servants to the village when their Sienna vehicle ignited fire from the explosion that burnt them to ashes.

He disclosed that the victim, who was the bread winner of the family, conveyed the entire family with his friend?s Sienna given to him to enable them carry all their belongings as the deceased?s father was slated to be buried the next Friday.

Ikechukwu called on the President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government to ban the movement of tankers carrying Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise known as fuel, and gas during the day. He lamented that many families have lost their loved ones in similar avoidable situation.

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.

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