By Izunna Okafor, Awka
The grieving family of Late Mr. Simon Aniamalu Ndubuisi of Isamolo Awha Imezi, Ezeagu Local Government Area of Enugu State, has announced the burial arrangements for four of their children who tragically lost their lives in the fatal fuel tanker explosion that occurred at the Ugwu Onyeama axis of the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway, on January 25, 2025.
The victims — Mr. Nnamdi Ndubuisi, Mrs. Chioma Ndife (née Ndubuisi), Mrs. Nkechi Ndubuisi, and Mr. Izuchukwu Ndubuisi — were all siblings from the same family, and reportedly perished in the inferno after being caught in the blaze triggered by the tanker’s crash. They were burnt beyond recognition, alongside several others who were trapped in their vehicles during the incident.
According to the funeral poster released by the family and signed by Mr. Emeka Ndubuisi, the burial rites will begin on Easter Sunday, 20th April 2025, with a wake keep at the family compound of Late Mr. Simon Aniamalu Ndubuisi in Isamolo Awha Imezi, Ezeagu L.G.A., Enugu State.
This will be followed by a burial mass and interment on Monday, 21st April 2025 (Easter Monday) at the same location, after which condolence visits and funeral rites will continue.
The family, in deep sorrow but total submission to the will of God, described the incident as an untimely and unbearable loss, noting that the tragic event wiped out four vibrant members of their lineage in one stroke.
It will be recalled that the horrific accident at Ugwu Onyeama involved a petrol-laden tanker that reportedly suffered brake failure and rammed into multiple vehicles before bursting into flames. The incident that involved about 31 persons, claimed over 20 lives, including children and adults, and left many others injured, with vehicles and properties destroyed beyond recognition.
Eleven members of the same family from the Abofia-Agbaja community in the Ebonyi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State were also among the victims of a tanker fire that occurred at Ugwu Onyeama along the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway, on Saturday.
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Enugu State Police Command, and other emergency responders had a tough time evacuating the charred remains and restoring normalcy to the ever-busy highway.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in a statement shortly after the disaster, expressed heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and the Enugu State Government. He described the incident as a national tragedy and called for stricter enforcement of road safety regulations, especially among heavy-duty and petroleum truck operators.
Similarly, Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, who visited the scene of the explosion, declared free medical treatment for survivors and assured that government would put preventive measures in place to forestall a recurrence.
Following the recent release (on social media) of the burial poster of the 4 siblings and members of the Ndubuisi Family who died in the tragedy, condolences have continued to pour in for the family, as netizens share their feelings and prayers with the bereaved.
