At least 70 people, including a pregnant woman and several children, were burnt to death while trying to scoop fuel from a petrol tanker that had crashed.
An additional 56 people sustained varying degrees of burns and were rushed to various hospitals for treatment.
The tragic event unfolded on Saturday morning when a petrol tanker, traveling at high speed, crashed at Dikko Junction on the expressway linking Niger and Kaduna states.
Eyewitnesses reported that the tanker began spilling fuel, prompting a crowd to rush to the scene to scoop it.
This led to a deadly explosion, which engulfed many people in flames.
A local resident, Ibrahim Suleimanshared his experience with The PUNCH on Sunday, explaining that he was on a motorcycle heading towards the junction when the tanker crashed.
He said, “The people around were confused, not knowing what to do, and no uniformed man was present to control traffic or warn people to stay away. Suddenly, the tanker began to spill fuel, and when people saw the fuel, they rushed to the fallen tanker to scoop it. It was then I heard the explosion. So many people were there when the tanker exploded. They could be more than 100, but from a distance, I just saw many people going up in flames.”
Modestus, another eyewitness, added, “The tanker exploded when the main body of the vehicle separated from its head. Many people who came to scoop fuel from the fallen tanker lost their lives; they were more than 80. I noticed that there were no emergency officials or fire service officers. No rescue from government agents. It was only vigilantes that came around to help. May God have mercy on us and accept the souls of the departed.”
Authorities confirmed the loss of at least 70 lives.
Niger State’s Federal Road Safety Corps Commander Kumar Tsukwam assured that his team was addressing the situation.
He explained, “A loaded petrol tanker fell at the scene of the incident, and people resorted to scooping fuel. Those who went to scoop the fuel were engulfed by flames, including those who went to rescue the victims.”
He reported that 42 people were injured and taken to local hospitals.
The Director-General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, Abdullahi Baba-Arah, provided additional details, confirming that the explosion occurred around 9 am on January 18, 2024, when a tanker loaded with PMS (premium motor spirit) crashed and the fuel transfer process went awry, igniting a generator and sparking the deadly blast.
“This incident has caused over 50 deaths, injured many people, and destroyed property estimated at millions of naira,” Baba-Arah said.
The National Emergency Management Agency corroborated the report, stating that 70 people died and 56 others were hospitalized.
NEMA’s Director General, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, expressed concern over the continuing risks posed by poorly managed fuel spillages, urging the public to heed safety warnings to prevent such tragedies in the future.
In response to the tragedy, the Controller-General of the Federal Fire Service, Abdulganiyu Jaji, emphasized the need for fuel station owners and tanker operators to address reckless driving.
“Tanker explosions are increasingly frequent and often caused by preventable lapses,” Jaji warned, urging operators to take immediate action to reduce such incidents.
Niger State Governor Mohammed Bago, who was shocked by the event, expressed his condolences to the victims’ families.
His Chief Press Secretary, Bologi Ibrahim, noted that the governor had directed the relevant ministries and security agencies to address the aftermath and ensure safety in the region.
The Minister of Petroleum Resources, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, also expressed his deep sorrow over the incident.
In a statement, he called for heightened safety measures, urging the public to avoid approaching fuel tankers after accidents.
“Lives are too precious to be lost unnecessarily. We must all work together to avoid these tragedies,” he stated.
Lokpobiri announced that an investigation would be conducted by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority.
This explosion adds to a troubling pattern of tanker-related disasters across Nigeria, with several incidents in recent months, including the October 2024 explosion in Majiya, Jigawa, which killed over 150 people.
The increase in such incidents highlights the urgent need for stricter safety protocols in the transportation and handling of petroleum products across the country.
