86 Dead in Nigeria’s Tanker Explosion Tragedy

By Staff, Agencies

At least 86 people have died following a petrol tanker explosion in Niger state, Nigeria, officials confirmed on Sunday.

The incident occurred early on Saturday when locals rushed to collect fuel from a tanker truck carrying 60,000 liters of gasoline, which had overturned near Suleja. The truck ignited, reportedly incinerating everyone nearby.

Hussaini Isah from the National Emergency Management Agency [NEMA] informed the Associated Press that 55 people were injured and are receiving treatment in hospitals in the Suleja region.

He added that the death toll could rise beyond 86, noting, "There were people burnt to ashes. We won’t know the exact figure without forensics."

Abdullahi Baba-Arah, director general of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, reported that a mass burial was conducted between 5 p.m. and midnight with the help of local authorities and volunteers.

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu expressed deep sorrow over the incident, offering condolences to the families of the victims.

He directed relevant agencies to ensure proper medical care for the injured and tasked security officials with implementing measures to prevent similar incidents in the future. Tinubu also called for a nationwide campaign by the National Orientation Agency to raise awareness about the dangers of collecting fuel from overturned tankers.

Former President Muhammadu Buhari also extended his sympathies. Since assuming office in 2023, President Tinubu’s economic reforms, including the removal of a fuel subsidy, have led to a significant rise in fuel prices, which has, in turn, increased living costs.

This has driven some Nigerians to resort to dangerous actions, such as collecting fuel from accident sites.

This tragedy follows other deadly fuel-related incidents in the country. A tanker explosion in Delta State claimed at least five lives two weeks ago, while a similar explosion in Jigawa State killed over 170 people in October.

In 2020, the Federal Road Safety Corps reported 1,531 fuel tanker accidents, resulting in over 535 deaths.