REPS SEEK FEDERAL RELIEF FOR EDO TANKER EXPLOSION VICTIMS

The House of Representatives has called on the Federal Government to provide financial assistance, relief materials and rehabilitation support to victims of the petrol tanker explosion that destroyed shops, vehicles and other property at Oluku Market in Edo State.

The lawmakers also urged the government to work with the Edo State Government to rebuild the affected market and help traders recover their businesses following the October 15 incident along the Benin–Lagos Expressway.

The resolutions followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance moved by Omosede Igbinedion, a member of the House representing a constituency in Edo State, during plenary on Wednesday.

Presenting the motion, Igbinedion said the explosion had claimed lives, injured residents, and destroyed businesses, leaving traders and their families facing severe financial hardship.

She said the fire destroyed shops, stalls, vehicles, and goods, depriving several traders of their sources of livelihood.

The lawmaker also raised concerns about victims who sustained severe burns and required emergency treatment at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital and other medical facilities.

She commended Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo for visiting the scene and affected victims, as well as pledging to rebuild the damaged market and support traders. However, she said the scale of the destruction required additional intervention from the Federal Government.

The House consequently urged the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to assess the extent of the damage and provide relief materials, financial assistance and rehabilitation support to affected residents and traders.

It also called on the Federal Government to collaborate with the Edo State Government to rebuild the market and restore businesses and livelihoods disrupted by the fire.

In another resolution, lawmakers urged the Federal Ministry of Works and the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency to inspect and rehabilitate dangerous sections of the Benin–Lagos Expressway around Oluku to reduce the risk of similar incidents.

The House further directed the Federal Road Safety Corps, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, and other relevant agencies to investigate the circumstances surrounding the tanker accident, fuel spillage, and subsequent fire.

The agencies were also asked to recommend measures to prevent a recurrence, particularly along busy highways where fuel tankers operate near markets, shops and residential areas.

The explosion occurred on Thursday, October 15, when a petrol tanker reportedly lost control and overturned near Oluku Market, spilling fuel that later caught fire. Reports indicated that some residents had gathered to scoop the spilled petrol before the inferno spread to nearby businesses.

The incident destroyed property and left several people with burn injuries. The Edo State Government has pledged to support affected traders and rebuild the damaged market.