For averting disaster, Omo-Agege says to tanker driver: You’re a hero!

The hero... Ejiro Otarigho...

DSP is the only leader that reached out to me, says driver

Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege has described as “a hero” a tanker driver, Ejiro Otarigho, who drove a burning tanker from danger zone to avert what could have been a tragic fire incident in Agbarho, Delta State at the weekend,

Late yesterday, Senator Omo-Agege, who is also the state governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) had telephone conversation with the driver in which he stressed that but for Otarigho’s courage, a major fire disaster which would have claimed several lives and property in his senatorial district.

Agbarho, a community in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State, is in Delta Central Senatorial District, which the lawmaker represents at the National Assembly.

The tanker driver drove the burning truck for 25 minutes – away from a densely populated area –  to Agbarho River where the tanker was completely razed by the inferno. The act was captured by witnesses and had gone viral.

Omo-Agege commended the driver for his uncommon courage of averting what could have been a devastating tanker explosion in Urhoboland.

He told Otarigho: “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”.

Responding, Ejiro thanked the DSP for personally reaching out to him.

According to him, 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 occurred last Friday.

He described the call by the Deputy President of the Senate as a healing balm.

Otarigho said: “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”.