Former Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki has expressed grief over the deadly fire disaster at Oluku, along the Benin–Lagos Expressway, urging authorities and Nigerians to address safety failures that continue to expose lives and property to danger.
Obaseki, in a statement on Friday, sympathised with families who lost loved ones in the incident, as well as those who sustained injuries and suffered damage to their property and livelihoods.
He described the tragedy as deeply distressing, warning that repeated disasters across Nigeria should not be accepted as an unavoidable part of national life.
The former governor called for a critical review of the country’s safety standards and emergency response systems to prevent similar incidents.
Obaseki said the frequency of tragic incidents across the country raised serious questions about the measures in place to protect lives and prevent avoidable loss of property.
He noted that such disasters often leave families grieving, communities devastated and survivors struggling with injuries and the loss of their livelihoods.
According to him, poverty, systemic inefficiencies, inadequate safety measures and the failure to tackle known risks continue to expose Nigerians to preventable dangers.
The former governor warned against treating repeated tragedies as inevitable, insisting that past incidents should provide lessons for improving public safety.
He said the Oluku disaster should prompt a thorough examination of the country’s safety regulations and the responsibilities of institutions and citizens in protecting human life.
Obaseki urged relevant authorities to strengthen emergency response mechanisms, enforce safety regulations and address the underlying problems that allow similar disasters to occur.
He stressed that meaningful action was necessary to ensure that the lessons from the Oluku incident were not forgotten.
The former governor said preventing future tragedies would require a collective commitment to improving safety standards and addressing weaknesses in existing systems.
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He added that the victims and their families deserved more than expressions of sympathy, calling for measures that would reduce the risk of similar incidents in the future.
Former Governor Offers Condolences
Expressing his condolences, Obaseki said his thoughts were with families mourning their loved ones, injured victims receiving medical attention and residents whose property and livelihoods had been affected.
He also prayed for the speedy recovery of those injured and for strength and comfort for the bereaved families.
Obaseki extended his sympathies to the victims, their relatives and the people of Edo State, describing the incident as a painful loss for the affected communities.