How 11 family members roast in Enugu tanker explosion travelling to bury father
By Charity Uwakwe
Tragedy struck on Saturday, as a man, Jeremiah Amuche Nwaji has been identified as one of the victims of the tragic fuel tanker explosion that occurred in Enugu on Saturday.
According to reports, Late Jeremiah who was resident in Awada Onitsha was until his death, the President of the Catholic Altar Boys Association in SS John and Paul Parish,Iba Pope Awada.
The dastardly accident occurred last Saturday, January 25, 2025, for the funeral of his late father which was slated for Friday, January 31, in his Ebonyi country home.
The terrific incident did not only claim the life of late Jeremiah but also those of his family members including his help.
This is even as the Sienna car driven by the Nwaji family was burnt in the inferno.
Reports say the entire community, as well as friends, colleagues and associates of the Nwaji family have been thrown into melancholy with many wondering if they could still contend with the trauma.
“We lost one of our brothers and member Izzi Agenda and FON ANAMBRA CHAPTER, Mr. Jeremiah Amuche Nwaji and his wife, his six Children and his brothers and his servants at yesterday’s Explosion at Ugwu Onyeama. May their gentle souls Rest in peace. Amen.
“This is a very difficult time for us. Please let us pray for them. He is the coordinator of Ebonyi LGA Anambra Chapter,”a sympathizer wrote.
Similarly, another person who identified himself as a friend of the Nwaji family, said Jeremiah lost his father and was traveling with members of his family to their village in Ebonyi for the burial this weekend when their vehicle was hit by the explosion. None of the occupants of the Sienna car survived.
“His name is Bro Jeremiah Nwaji. He is our President of Alter Boys Association, SS JOHN AND PAUL Iba Pope, Awada where I served my teenage days.
“Himself, wife, 6 children, Younger brother, Maid, Apprentice = 11 were traveling to their home town in Ebonyi State for the burial of their father coming up this Friday Jan 31st before the unfortunate incident at Ugwu Onyeama…
“I’m saddened. Please, remember them in your prayers” another associate of family wrote on WhatsApp on Sunday
Meanwhile, an eyewitness report disclosed that, the fire broke out around 11 a.m, when the tanker lost control while descending a hilly section of the road, crashing into vehicles ahead before spilling its contents and igniting a massive explosion.
The bereaved brother of the 11 deceased Ebonyi 11 family victims, Mr Ikechukwu Nwaji, saddled with emotions, narrated that the said gas explosion claimed the entire family of Mr Jeremiah Nwaji who was traveling in their private Sienna to the village to bury their late father.
Nwaji explained that the victims were on their way from Onitsha, Anambra State with his six children, wife, brother and his servants to the village where their Sienna bus ignited fire from the explosion that burnt them to ashes.
According to him, his deceased brother who was the bread winner of the family was conveying the entire family in his friend’s Sienna, which the latter lent him to facilitate the conveyance of his family members alongside other items to his home town.
He called on President Bola Tinubu to revisit the policy that banned movement of tankers loaded with premium motor spirit (PMS) during the day, adding that many families had lost their loved ones in similar circumstances.
He said, “It was disheartening that we lost eleven members of the family in a controllable situation involving my eldest brother and bread winner of our family, his wife, six children who are among a twin, our last born, our brother’s house help and servants.
“They were in a Sienna vehicle coming to Ebonyi state from Anambra where the incident occurred and were coming for our father’s burial which was scheduled to come this week Friday before his own death leaving the family with two siblings as my mother gave birth to four males.
“As seen in other advance country, our family is pleading to president Bola Tinubu to revisit the policy that stipulated that tankers should only move by night as seen before that drivers moved from 9:00 o’clock in the night till early morning where they pack to continue the next day seeing the havoc it is causing in our country.”
Also, the bereaved sister and widow, Mrs Chiamaka Onyibe narrated that the victim was the one paying her children school fees since she lost her husband.
Furthermore, the sister wailed bitterly that the family had lost their “divine helper”.
