AT least 30 people have been confirmed dead and about 40 others injured following a tragic tanker explosion that occurred yesterday in Niger State.
The incident happened yesterday around 11:00 a.m. in the Essan and Badeggi communities along the Bida–Agaie road in Katcha Local Government Area.
Eyewitnesses said the explosion occurred after residents gathered to scoop fuel from a fallen tanker, which suddenly ignited, causing a massive fire that consumed many people.
Several victims were reportedly burnt beyond recognition, while those injured were rushed to nearby hospitals for medical attention.
Confirming the tragedy, 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 explosion as “devastating and avoidable.”
According to Kawo, the tanker was transporting petroleum products from Lagos to the northern part of the country when it crashed.
He lamented that more than 30 tanker accidents had occurred on the Bida–Agaie road in October alone, blaming the frequent crashes on the deplorable condition of the route.
He further expressed concern over the persistent practice of residents rushing to scoop fuel from accident scenes despite repeated warnings from authorities.
“Just last Sunday, a tanker carrying groundnut oil also crashed in the same area, and people rushed to collect the product,” he said.
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.
Kawo appealed to Governor Umaru Bago to urgently rehabilitate the affected road to prevent further loss of lives and property.
Tanker explosions have become more common in Nigeria and are often triggered when residents attempt to siphon fuel from crashed vehicles.
These accidents, which are becoming more frequent are often caused by over speeding, poor conditions of roads, and non-compliance with traffic regulations.
Recall that in March, ten people lost their lives in a similar incident near Abuja, while in January, at least 98 people were killed in Niger State after a tanker explosion during fuel scooping.
Following that tragedy, President Bola Tinubu ordered a nationwide campaign to raise awareness about the dangers and environmental hazards of collecting fuel from fallen tankers.