Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt– Deputy Senate President, Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege, on Monday commended the actions of a petrol tanker driver, Ejiro Otarigho, who drove a burning tanker from danger zone to avert what could have been a tragic fire incident in Agbarho Town, Ughelli, Delta State.
Mr. Ejiro Otarigho, at the weekend heroically risked his life to drive a burning petrol tanker for 25 minutes from a densely populated residential area to Agbarho River where the tanker was completely razed by the inferno.
Otarigho’s bravery, according to witnesses, averted what would have destroyed lives and property in Agbarho town. The act was captured by onlookers and had gone viral on social media.
Reacting on the development, the Deputy Senate President, who doubles as the governorship candidate of APC in the upcoming 2023 gubernatorial election in Delta State, described Otarigho as a hero.
Omo-Agege stressed that but for Otarigho’s courage, a major fire disaster which would have claimed several lives and property could have happened in his senatorial district.
The Deputy Senate President, speaking through his media aide, Ima Niboro, said he personally had a telephone conversation with the heroic tanker driver and commended him for his uncommon courage of averting what could have been a devastating tanker explosion in Urhoboland.
“By your action, you have saved a lot of our people who could have died from this accident. It is not everyone that will have the courage to do what you just did.
“By this singular act, you saved Agbarho community from major disaster. And we are very proud of you. To me, you have become a hero to our people. And I’m sure a lot of people will be looking up to you right now. So, you have every right to feel like a hero. I am very proud of you,” he said.
Responding, Ejiro Otarigho thanked the DSP for personally reaching out to him, saying that some of his family members, friends and colleagues had expressed concern that people of note had yet to reach out to him since the incident occured last Friday.
Otarigho described the call by the Deputy President of the Senate as a healing balm.
“For a man like the Deputy Senate President to put a call to me at this crucial time, I am very happy about that. Hearing from him alone shows that he identifies with the people.
“People have been complaining that nobody cares. That if I’d allowed people die, they would have been coming to see the dead. But now I am very happy that the Deputy President of the Senate could speak to me”.
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