At least 39 people have been killed in an oil tanker explosion in Nigeria's central Niger state after the vehicle skidded off the road and crashed, spilling fuel, an aid worker has informed. Another 60 individuals with varying degrees of injuries are currently receiving treatment at a local hospital, according to Abdullahi Baba Ara, head of the Niger state emergency service.
Witnesses report that villagers rushed to collect fuel from the overturned tanker, leading to a sudden explosion that engulfed them in flames. Tanker explosions are a recurring tragedy in Nigeria, despite repeated warnings about the dangers of collecting spilled fuel.
The intense blaze burned many victims beyond recognition, and the injured were transported to a nearby hospital for urgent care. The incident occurred in the vicinity of the Essan and Badeggi communities along the Bida-Agaie road in the Katcha Local Government Area of Niger state.
Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago extended his condolences to the victims' families, describing the event as worrisome, unfortunate, and pathetic. He emphasized that it is disheartening how people continue to approach a fallen tanker to scoop its contents, despite numerous awareness campaigns.
The tanker was transporting petroleum products from Lagos to northern Nigeria when it crashed, reportedly due to the poor state of the road, a significant contributor to vehicle accidents in the country.
This incident echoes a previous fuel tanker explosion in October last year, which resulted in 153 fatalities in Jigawa state, and another in January this year that killed at least 86 individuals in Niger state.
Governor Bago expressed hope that the incident would prompt urgent actions to enforce road safety measures and prevent future tragedies.
