Family Of 9 Perishes In Enugu Tanker Disaster While Travelling For Father’s Burial
Among the victims were nine family members along with their domestic help and an apprentice travelling for their father’s burial. SaharaReporters initially reported that the Federal Road Safety Corps claimed that 11 people died in the incident while eyewitnesses at the scene told SaharaReporters that the death toll could be as high as 70.
Tragic stories continue to emerge from the petrol tanker explosion on Saturday at Ugwu Onyama along the Enugu-Onitsha expressway in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State.
Among the victims were nine family members along with their domestic help and an apprentice travelling for their father’s burial. SaharaReporters initially reported that the Federal Road Safety Corps claimed that 11 people died in the incident while eyewitnesses at the scene told SaharaReporters that the death toll could be as high as 70.
However, friends and relations have taken to social media platforms to identify one Mr Jeremiah Amuche Nwaji from Ebonyi State as one of the victims of the tragic accident.
According to reports, the late Nwaji was travelling with his family members from Onitsha, Anambra State to his village in Ebonyi State for the burial of his father scheduled for Saturday when the unfortunate incident occurred.
The family, travelling in Sienna buses, included Nwaji, who was driving his own Sienna with his wife and six children, while the other bus carried other family members.
Sadly, they were caught in the tanker fire on Saturday and perished. Barrister Itumo shared a picture of Nwaji on social media and reposted others from community members, identifying Nwaji as the Coordinator of the Ebonyi LGA Anambra Chapter.
Itumo wrote: “TEARS ????: “We lost one of our brother and member Izzi Agenda and FON ANAMBRA CHAPTER, Mr. Jeremiah Amuche Nwaji and his wife, his six children and his brothers and his servants at yesterday’s Explosion at Ugwu Onyeama. May their gentle souls Rest in peace. Amen.”
“This is a very difficult time for us. Please let us pray for them. He is the coordinator of Ebonyi LGA Anambra Chapter,” he added.
Another person who identified himself as a friend of the Nwaji family, said, “Jeremiah lost his father and was travelling with members of his family to their village in Ebonyi for the burial this weekend when their vehicle was hit by the explosion.
“None of the occupants of the Sienna car survived.
“His name is Bro Jeremiah Nwaji. He is our President of Alter Boys Association, SS JOHN AND PAUL Iba Pope, Awada where I served my teenage days.
“Himself, wife, 6 children, younger brother, Maid, Apprentice = 11 were travelling to their home town in Ebonyi State for the burial of their father coming up this Friday Jan 31st before the unfortunate incident at Ugwu Onyeama…
“I’m saddened. Please, remember them in your prayers” another associate of family wrote on WhatsApp on Sunday.”
Meanwhile, a staff member of JUHEL Nigeria Limited, a drugs manufacturing center in Emene, Enugu, shared that the driver had discharged water and was returning to 9th Mile to get another load when the unfortunate incident occurred.
The staff reportedly held a minute of silence and prayed for his peaceful repose.
SaharaReporters was told by one of the workers at the Emene factory that the driver had spent only one year with the company.
“It was a terrible news that the driver that came and discharged water in our factory and was going back to get water just perished like that. He just started working with JUHEL Nigeria Limited last year and this January made it one year that he has been working with the company. It is unfortunate that we just lost a calm man. You hardly hear him talk. May God grant his soul eternal rest,” a staff member said.
A tanker driver, who identified himself as Gabriel Eze faulted the casualty figures the Federal Road Safety and Enugu State government gave to the media.
“Why is the government downplaying the casualty figures? This is a tragedy and instead of downplaying the casualty figure, the government should be more concerned about addressing the cause of the accident which is lack of repair of the second lane of the road.
“Also, there are several obstacles the military put few poles away from the scene of Saturday’s incident. Immediately there was accident they will quickly remove the obstruction and flee,” he lamented.
He added, “There was a full bus carrying 14 passengers. The vehicle loaded at the New Market and they were burned to ashes. I saw it. Four family members from my community, Owa Imezi in Ezeagu LGA died in the incident.
“I carried eight victims with people to a tipper and they were carried to hospitals. I don’t know whether it was to the orthopaedic or Parklane Teaching Hospital. The family that is affected in my place is the family of Prof. Simon Uzo-Ndubuisi.
“By the time more people start sharing their tragedies, you will know that the government is just trying to downplay the magnitude of the incident.”
“There’s another family of six travelling in a Lexus SUV; they were involved in the unfortunate incident,” Gabriel said.
WATCH: “This Wouldn’t Have Happened If the Government Had Fixed the Road,” Says Man Who Lost Brother in Enugu as Petrol Tanker Overturns and Explodes pic.twitter.com/iz0c77iwnC
— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) January 27, 2025
