At least 30 people have reportedly lost their lives, while about 40 others sustained varying degrees of injuries in a tragic tanker explosion that occurred on Tuesday in Niger State.
The explosion took place around 11:00 a.m. at Essan and Badeggi communities along the Bida–Agaie road in Katcha Local Government Area.
Eyewitnesses said the victims were scooping fuel from a fallen tanker when it suddenly exploded, triggering a massive fire that engulfed many people. Several victims were burnt beyond recognition, while the injured were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment.
Confirming the incident, the Chairman of the Niger State Tanker Drivers Association and National Ex-Officio of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Comrade Farouk Kawo, described the tragedy as “devastating and avoidable.”
He explained that the ill-fated tanker was transporting petroleum products from Lagos to the northern region when it crashed.
Kawo revealed that over 30 tanker accidents had already occurred along the Bida–Agaie route in October alone, attributing the frequent crashes to the deplorable condition of the road.
He also decried the persistent habit of some youths rushing to scoop fuel from accident scenes despite repeated warnings.
“Only last Sunday, a tanker carrying groundnut oil also crashed in the same area, and residents rushed to collect the product,” he added.
Efforts to reach the Director-General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Abdullahi Baba-Arah, were unsuccessful, as he did not respond to calls at the time of filing this report.
Meanwhile, Kawo urged Governor Umaru Bago to urgently repair the damaged section of the road to prevent further loss of lives and property.