The Jigawa State Government has commenced the distribution of cash donations to the victims of the tragic Majia tanker explosion, which occurred in October last year, claiming scores of lives and causing injuries.
The Government flagged off the ceremony in Majia Town aimed at delivering help to the families of the people who died and the people who were badly hurt in the accident.
Speaking during the ceremony, Governor Umar Namadi expressed sorrow over the disaster, which claimed the lives of over 140 individuals, mostly young men under the age of 30.
“We pray that their souls continue to rest in peace with our Lord. May their final abode be Aljannatul Firdous. May Allah grant their families the fortitude to continue to bear the irreparable loss of their loved ones,” he said.
The governor described the tragedy’s scope, stating that it directly impacted 210 people and 167 households.
Read also: Jigawa votes N15.8bn for basic education sector
“Altogether, 210 persons were identified as being directly affected” Highlights of the demographic profiles of those affected showed that the terrible event had an impact on 167 households, killing 140 people and hurting 70 more.
“It was established that thirty-three of the deceased persons were married, of which thirty-one of them have children, all left behind as orphans. In all, the deceased individuals have left behind a total of forty-two widows and one hundred and thirty-three orphans, of which seventy are males and sixty-three are females”, the governor said.
Describing the devastation as “a calamity of an unimaginable proportion,” Governor Namadi reassured the people of Jigawa State that the State Government would be taking proactive steps to prevent similar tragedies in.the future.
“As we would all recall, the inferno that resulted from the tanker explosion was so devastating that over 100 persons were burnt to death on the spot, all buried together in a mass grave. May Allah protect us from ever witnessing such a tragedy, whether in Jigawa State or anywhere else”, he added.
He reiterated Government’s commitment to implementing the recommendations of the investigative Committee set up to assess the causes of the explosion and propose preventive measures.
“The Committee established by the Government to investigate and report on the remote and immediate causes of the inferno, damage caused, and extent of casualties has made several far-reaching recommendations on mitigating the chances of future occurrence of such calamitous incidents.
“On our part as a government, we will continue to institute measures in line with the recommendations, including having a permanent contingency plan for emergency preparedness and response aimed at cushioning the gravity of disasters when they inevitably occur”, the governor stressed.
Read also: Jigawa partners NITDA to upskill Almajiri, out-of-school children digitally
Regarding financial support, the Governor disclosed that as of 26th March 2025, total redeemed cash donations amounted to N839,686,680, while each of the affected individuals are expected to receive roughly N4 million, with N500,000 disbursed in cash and N3.5 million deposited into individual accounts opened for the victims in Jaiz Bank.
