Onitsha black Sunday tragedy, people react

The sad news of the monumental tragedy that struck the commercial city of Onitsha on that black Sunday, 

31st May 2015 was  received by many people with great shock and utter disbelief. According to the media report, a petrol tanker fully laden with petroleum products otherwise known as PMS which was heading towards the very busy Upper Iweka area of the commercial city on that fateful day, suddenly lost control and skidded off the road and finally crashed into the nearby motor park where it exploded instantaneously. Consequent upon the explosion,  the inferno immediately spread over the wide area and many passengers waiting to board their vehicles for their journeys as well as passersby were burnt to ashes beyond recognition together with many vehicles that were stationed within the motor park and its environs. Many other vehicles said to be plying the route at the material time were equally caught up in the blazing inferno which had engulfed the entire area and were also burnt to ashes in the process. The actual number of casualties in the inferno could not be immediately ascertained but at press time the unofficial figure of casualties was put at seventy persons including a pregnant woman.

  Many persons who also sustained bodily injuries resulting from burns were said to have been rushed to the nearby hospitals including the Toronto and St. Charles' Borromeo hospitals by officials of NEMA  and other security agencies including the fire brigade personnel who arrived the scène almost  immediately after the terrible tragedy.

   Suffice to say however, that the awful sight of the charred bodies of the victims of the accident as they were being evacuated from the scene by officials of the International Red Cross Society and other security agencies which was televised by both the local and international TV Stations was simply horrendous and utterly nauseating. The unfortunate incident could rightly be described as a national calamity of monumental proportion and as such every thing humanly possible must be done by the authorities to prevent future occurrence of this horrifying tragedy in our country.

  It is a matter of  deep regret however, that the present generation of Nigerian drivers on our high ways have little or no regards for human lives thus our high ways despite their regular rehabilitation and maintenance by the authorities had in recent times been recording unprecedented level of carnage as a result of avoidable accidents or mishaps. Recent statistics had revealed that the number of frequent deaths on our high ways far more  exceeds the deaths caused by natural or other unknown causes.

  It is high time therefore, that the Nigerian authorities should take immediate and  drastic action to stem the alarming rate of auto crashes on our high ways before more precious lives are lost. After all, no body knows who else might be the next victim and as such the common saying that a stitch in time saves nine is very apt in this piece, hence every thing within our powers must be done to stop the mindless carnage on our high ways.

  In civilized nations of the world, the conveyance of highly inflammable and hazardous products, such as petroleum and gas are under the law, normally transported through efficient railway system or by sea and certainly not by heavy tankers and trucks as is the present case in Nigeria.

  One could recall rather with nostalgia that in the early sixties or thereabout the haulage or transportation of petroleum and other agricultural products were conveyed through the Nigerian railways across the nation and heavy tankers and trucks were rarely found on our high ways during that era.

  Regrettably however, soon after the Nigerian civil war in the seventies, certain powerful and self serving elements in the country in apparent collusion with corrupt political leaders in positions of authority deliberately ensured the total collapse of the railway system, which today remains the cheapest and  affordable means of transportation around the world. The railway system in the country had remained moribund ever since until very recently when the outgone President Jonathan's administration made some conscious efforts to revitalize the rail system, though the impact of the transformation process is yet to be felt by the masses in the country. It is pertinent to observe in this write up however, that these unpatriotic and self centred elements in the country obviously benefitted immensely as a result of the total collapse of the railway system which had paved the way for them to acquire thousands of heavy duty trucks and tankers for the haulage of heavy commodities including petroleum products which otherwise would have been handled by a functional railways system. The resultant effect of this ugly development obviously is the daily carnage on our highways more often than not caused by these mindless and reckless tanker and truck drivers who always behave with impunity as the “King of the roads”.  Colossal amount of money is also spent yearly by the government to maintain the high ways as a result of the constant damage often caused by these heavy duty vehicles daily plying our roads and they equally constitute terrible nuisance to other road users in the process.

  It is the contention of this writer therefore, that the time has now come to urgently regulate the  notorious activities of these tanker and heavy duty vehicles' drivers and their owners which had already brought untold hardship and constant embarrassment to the Nigerian people. Urgent legislation should be enacted as a matter of utmost urgency by both the National and State Houses of Assembly for the immediate restriction of these heavy duty vehicles and tankers from plying the high ways particularly in  densely  populated  urban cities and towns during the day time. This law when enacted and enforced will definitely minimize to a very large extent the frequent untimely deaths now prevalent on the high ways across the country.

  It is an incontrovertible fact that many avoidable auto crashes by these heavy duty trucks  and petroleum tankers are more often than not caused by gross negligence and recklessness of the drivers coupled with the total lack of regular maintenance of these vehicles by their owners.

  It is the candid opinion of this writer therefore, that all commercial vehicles including tankers and trucks must of necessity be subjected by law to a regular inspection –say every three months by the Vehicles Inspection Officers (V.I.Os) who will certify the road worthiness of these vehicles before they could ply on Nigerian roads. In the same vein,  all drivers in the country particularly the Commercial Vehicle drivers must also be subjected to periodic tests by the relevant authorities to ascertain their competence and proficiency before the revalidation or renewal of their driving licenses. It is also the function or duty of the security agencies such as: the Police and the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) to strictly enforce the laws by ensuring that defaulters' vehicles are immediately impounded and punitive sanctions imposed on them. The Road Safety Commission in  particular, seem to have run out of steam and focus in recent years as the officers of the commission, appear to have abandoned their primary responsibility of ensuring that our roads and highways are constantly made to be safe for motorists and pedestrians alike. The personnel of the commission these days, are known to be often conducting themselves in an unethical manner by the shameless extortion of money from motorists plying within the cities for the mere  failure to put on their seat belts and at times impounding motorcycles for seemingly minor offences. The enforcement of the law on seat belt no doubt, is very important, but such law should better be enforced on the major high ways where there is always the tendency on the part of motorist to exceed the speed limit often resulting in ghastly auto accidents and loss of lives.

  It is pertinent to mention in this thesis however, that there are more serious traffic offences that should always, engage the attention of the officers of the Road Safety commission rather than concentrating on the non-compliance of the law on seat belt.

  There are many serious traffic offences that constitute great danger to the motoring public viz: (a) over loading of vehicles, (b) driving with worn out tyres (c) driving with inefficient brake system (d) over speeding (e) driving with non functional brake lights (f) driving with non functional wind screen wipers (g) driving with  non functional head lamps and parking lights (h) driving with non functional horns (i) The use of phone or handset while driving (j) driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs especially by the commercial vehicles drivers etc. These serious traffic offences should always be monitored and instantly sanctioned by the Road Safety Commission personnel while on their regular patrol duty on the high ways rather than harassing innocent motorists plying the local roads.

  In conclusion, the management of the Road Safety Commission should as a matter of  urgency and necessity embark on the regular re-training and re-orientation of its officers and men and adequately equipping them for optimum performance of their duties. Sound and well maintained vehicles should equally be provided for its personnel to enable them monitor regularly cases of over speeding and recklessness  by motorists on the major high ways as well as the provision of efficient towing vehicles for prompt removal of vehicles often involved in road accidents including other break down vehicles that might cause unnecessary obstructions on the high ways.

  It is the contention of this writer therefore, that if the above measures are conscientiously implemented, definitely sanity would have been restored to our high ways across the nation.

Finally, it is with deep sense of sorrow and heavy heart that this writer wish to convey his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families of these unfortunate victims of the tragic incident and pray that God Almighty in His Infinite mercies will console and grant them the fortitude to bear the monumental loss. He also extends his deepest sympathy to the injured persons who are currently recuperating in the hospitals and wish them speedy recovery and early return to their homes.

  *Nze Nwabueze Akabogu (JP) is a Public Affairs Commentator and analyst. .