A petrol tanker truck explosion in northern Nigeria killed at least 70 people and injured dozens more on Saturday, according to the country’s National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
The incident occurred in Niger State after the tanker overturned, spilling fuel that ignited and caused widespread destruction. Officials reported that over 70 bodies had been recovered, 56 people were injured, and more than 15 shops were destroyed in the blast.
“The injured have been transported to hospitals for treatment, while recovery efforts for the deceased are ongoing,” NEMA said in a statement.
Local residents and officials were seen digging graves Saturday night to bury victims in line with Islamic traditions. Niger is a predominantly Muslim state in Africa’s most populous country.
Kumar Tsukwam, the Federal Road Safety Corps sector commander for Niger State, said many victims were impoverished locals who had gathered to collect fuel from the overturned truck despite warnings.
“A large crowd of people gathered to scoop fuel despite concerted efforts to stop them,” Tsukwam said in a statement, adding that firefighters managed to extinguish the blaze.
The accident mirrors a similar tanker explosion in Jigawa State last October, which claimed 147 lives and ranks among Nigeria’s worst fuel-related disasters.
Such incidents are common in Nigeria, Africa’s largest oil producer, where poverty and unsafe practices often lead to fuel-related tragedies. The country is grappling with a severe cost-of-living crisis, worsened by the removal of a decades-old fuel subsidy in May 2023 by President Bola Tinubu.
The subsidy’s removal has led to a more than 400% increase in petrol prices, pushing many Nigerians into deeper economic hardship.
Bologi Ibrahim, spokesperson for the Niger State governor, urged residents to prioritize safety during fuel tanker accidents.
reuters
