The Niger State government has approved comprehensive free medical care for all the surviving victims of the Essa tanker explosion.

The Special Adviser to Governor Umaru Bago on Special Duties, Dr Murtala Bagana, announced this when he led a state government delegation to the hospitals where the injured victims are receiving treatment.

In a statement, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Bologi Ibrahim, said that out of about 50 injured victims, some are receiving medical attention for burns, while others are being treated for inhalation-related injuries at various health facilities such as the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Bida, General Hospitals Bida, and Agaie. Those with severe injuries are being treated at the National Hospital, Abuja, Gwagwalada Specialist Hospital, and FMC Jabi.

He added that the state government has also supplied drugs and medical supplies worth over N10 million to support hospitals treating the victims, as well as presented cash donations to the affected families receiving care in the hospitals.

The government had earlier praised the management of the FMC Bida for their prompt response and professional support, while appreciating the State Ministry of Health, the Emergency Response Teams, and the Katcha Local Council, which are jointly coordinating the rescue and medical operations.

The state government also lauded the House of Representatives member representing Bida/Gbako/Katcha Federal Constituency, Alh. Saidu Musa Abdullahi, for providing ambulances used in evacuating critical patients to tertiary hospitals in Abuja.

The statement further revealed that a mass burial for the deceased victims was conducted in Katcha with a special prayer for the repose of their souls and quick recovery for the injured.

The government further confirmed that normalcy has returned to the affected community. It reaffirmed its commitment to the safety and well-being of all residents, while emphasising the need to refrain from scooping the contents of any fallen tanker.

It emphasised the need for the federal government to expedite repairs on all federal roads in the state to prevent a recurrence, as the poor condition of the Jebba-Mokwa-Bida-Agaie-Lapai-Lambata road contributed to the tragic incident.

In related news, Governor Bago has distanced his administration from negotiating with bandits or paying ransom for kidnapped victims, noting that doing so would only embolden the criminals and worsen the insecurity bedevilling the state.

The governor made his position known when he paid a condolence visit to the people of Rijau and Magama local councils, whose communities were recently invaded by armed bandits.

A statement issued to newsmen in Minna by the Special Adviser to the governor on Print Media, Aisha Wakaso, revealed that the governor noted that the state had reached a point where the people must stand up and defend themselves, cautioning that ransom payments would only turn kidnapping into a thriving business.