*Niger state govt officially announces that 86 persons died in tanker explosion in Dikko LGA
*That 55 others sustained various degrees of injuries and are receiving treatment at different hospitals
*Reveals that deceased persons have been given mass burial
*As State Gov, Bago constitutes an18 man medical team to provide adequate care for survivors
From Aliyu Mohammed, Minna
Niger State government yesterday confirmed that the death toll in the explosion of a petrol tanker in Dikko, Gurara Local Government Area of the State has risen to 86.
The Director General of the State Emergency Management Agency, Abdullahi Baba-Arah made this known on Sunday in a statement issued to newsmen saying that 55 others sustained various degrees of burn.
The statement added that the deceased were buried in a mass grave by his agency, noting that among the victims, five corpses were claimed by the relatives.
“A total of 86 persons have been confirmed dead with their bodies recovered and buried.
“Eighty of them were buried in a mass grave at the Dikko Primary Health Care (PHC) premises, while five were taken away for burial in the town by their relatives.
“The mass burial was carried out by Niger State Emergency Management Agency, NSEMA in collaboration with Gurara Local Government Area”, the statement read.
Meanwhile, the State Governor Umaru Bago has constituted an 18 man multidisciplinary medical team with a view to providing adequate medical care to the surviving victims.
The spokesperson of the Governor, Bologi Ibrahim who made this known in a statement added that the team had already swung into action.
According to him: “At the time of their visit a total of 43 patients all males were said to have been admitted at the General Hospital Suleja on Saturday January 18 out of which, seven patients lost their lives, three were satisfactorily discharged to recuperate at home while 10 patients were referred for specialist care in Abuja and the remaining 23 are receiving treatment with varying degrees of burns.”
“At the General Hospital, Sabon-Wuse, 23 patients were initially admitted, three died within the first 6 -8 hours of admission, 19 patient relatives signed a consent form to be discharged against medical advice, and only one patient was in critical state and is to be moved to Gwagwalada Specialist Hospital, Abuja”, the statement added.
