The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has denied being responsible for last week’s fatal tanker accident at the old Tollgate, Sango, Ogun State, which led to the death of two people, and the destruction of 17 vehicles, among others.
Ogun State Sector Commander, Clement Oladele was reacting to a statement credited to the state Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, through his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Kunle Somorin, where the Corps was accused of causing the accident.
Oladele, on Saturday said the, “area is a black spot, which has claimed 33 lives in the last five years.”
The FRSC boss said “considering the strategic nature of corridors in Ogun, as a gateway state, with 40 per cent of the 380,000 vehicles being articulated vehicles, especially trucks and tankers, coupled with ongoing massive road construction projects sites, the state, no doubt records road traffic crashes and fatalities that have assumed a worrisome dimension.”
He informed that the accident and other crashes would have been prevented if simple safety practices were strictly adhered to.
“From the findings of the crash investigation, there is a great suspicion that the burnt tanker, which bore the colours and markings of MRS Petroleum, might belong to a Major Oil Marketer in Nigeria.
“Even though the tanker got burnt, but a diligent investigation by the professional FRSC Crash Investigators showed the markings and colours on the burnt tanker.
“According to the Crash Investigation Report, despite investigation being hampered over the disappearance of the driver of the ill-fated truck and the removal of the truck’s plate number, which would have easily tracked the vehicle to the registered owner, the FRSC was not deterred. The Corps had explored other insignias found from the burnt truck to identify and track the owners,” he said.
Oladele disclosed that a manhunt had been launched for the arrest of the tanker’s driver to facilitate prosecution and pressing for compensation for victims.
He revealed further that the Crash Investigation Report proved that a total of N269m was lost in the inferno, aside from casualties recorded.
