At least 42 people have died and dozens more injured after a fuel tanker crashed and exploded in Nigeria’s Niger state, causing widespread devastation, an aid worker said.
The accident happened when the tanker skidded off the road, spilling its fuel, and villagers who rushed to collect it were caught in a sudden fireball.
Abdullahi Baba Ara, head of the Niger state emergency service, confirmed that 52 people with various injuries are receiving treatment at a local hospital. Witnesses said the blaze erupted immediately after the tanker overturned near the Essan and Badeggi communities along the Bida-Agaie road in Katcha Local Government Area.
Villagers were seen collecting fuel from the overturned tanker before it ignited, a scenario that has been repeated in similar accidents across the country. "It is disheartening how people have continued to approach a fallen tanker to scoop its contents" despite repeated awareness campaigns, said a statement from the chief press secretary to Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago.
The governor described the incident as "worrisome, unfortunate and pathetic" and extended his condolences to the families affected. Reports indicate that the tanker, carrying petroleum products from Lagos to northern Nigeria, crashed partly due to poor road conditions—a persistent factor in many road accidents nationwide.
Fuel tanker explosions have claimed hundreds of lives in Nigeria in recent years. In October last year, a tanker blast in Jigawa state killed 153 people, while in January this year, an overturned truck near Suleja in Niger state killed at least 86 and injured nearly 70 others.
The intensity of the fire in the latest accident left several victims beyond recognition, and emergency teams continue to provide care for those injured. Authorities have again urged communities to avoid approaching overturned fuel tankers to prevent further tragedies.
