The Nigeria Union of Journalists Delta State Council has commended a heroic tanker driver, Ejiro Otarigho, for averting a fire catastrophe in the Agbarho area of the state.
According to the Union, the newly married driver “had decided not to be selfish with his life and family concerns, but made up his mind to risk his own life to prevent a major fire accident that would have thrown the entire State into pandemonium from happening”.
A statement jointly signed by the state NUJ Chairman and Secretary respectively, Comrades Michael Ikeogwu and Patrick Ochei, said that the tanker driver decided to be patriotic at a time when most Nigerians had lost hope in our dear nation.
“In a situation like this, other drivers would have abandoned the already burning truck laden with diesel on the road; and thereby causing a disaster that would have definitely affected other road users and even lives and properties within that vicinity,” the Union said.
According to the statement, “the tanker driver, Mr Otarigho, in that pathetic state of mind, made up his mind to perish in the fire until he had driven the fire engulfed truck out of the human-populated environment to the river”.
The NUJ stated further, “We give glory to God Almighty that he didn’t die, but survived to tell his heroic story.
“On this note, we call on the Federal Government, Delta State Government and of course the Ughelli North Local Government to celebrate this young man and duly compensate him.
“His singular effort had saved the state so much, otherwise, if the incident had occurred, the state would have been counting its losses in human casualties and property destructions.
“On our part as a Union and mirror of society, the young Otarigho is our man of the year, and at the appropriate time, we will honour him to prove to the world that there are still patriotic ordinary Nigerians. People like him are those that truly deserve media awards. We are really proud of him.”
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