A deadly explosion involving a petrol tanker on the Bida-Agaie-Lapai road in Niger State, Nigeria, has claimed 48 lives and left 50 cows burnt alive, according to local emergency officials.
Alhaji Abdullah-Baba-Arah, Director-General of the Niger Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), confirmed the incident in a statement on Sunday. The agency received reports of the explosion at approximately 12:30 am.
The disaster occurred about two kilometers from the Dendo community in Agaie Local Government Area. Baba-Arah stated that a petrol tanker loaded with fuel collided with a trailer truck carrying both passengers and cattle from Wudil in Kano State, en route to Lagos. Two other vehicles, a crane truck and a pickup van, were also involved in the multiple-vehicle accident.
As of the initial report, over 30 people were confirmed dead, with the death toll later rising to 48. More than 50 cattle were burnt alive in the inferno that followed the collision.
NEMA’s Rapid Response Team and Local Emergency Management Committees were dispatched to the scene to conduct search and rescue operations. Baba-Arah noted that more bodies were still trapped inside the wreckage of the trucks involved in the accident.
The incident highlights ongoing concerns about road safety in Nigeria, particularly involving fuel tankers on major highways. Local authorities are expected to investigate the cause of the collision and review safety measures for transporting hazardous materials.
This tragedy represents one of the deadliest road accidents in Niger State in recent years, underscoring the need for improved emergency response capabilities and stricter enforcement of traffic regulations.
