‘Heartbreaking’: More than 60 killed in Nigeria tanker explosion news
The death toll from the latest tanker explosion in Africa’s biggest economy is likely to rise amid rising fuel costs.
At least 60 people have been killed and more injured in a fuel tanker explosion in the Dikko region of Niger state in northern Nigeria, according to local officials.
Kumar Tsukwam, a sector commander in Niger State with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), said on Saturday that people rushed to collect spilled petrol after the truck overturned. “The tanker caught fire, which also engulfed another tanker,” he said in a statement.
“Most of the victims were burned beyond recognition,” Tsukwam said. “We are at the scene to clean things up,” he said, adding that firefighters were able to bring the fire under control.
Niger’s governor, Mohammed Bago, confirmed the incident in a statement and said several people were believed to have died in the massive fire caused by the tanker explosion.
He described the incident as “worrying, heartbreaking and unfortunate”.
tanker accidents common
Such accidents have become common in Africa’s biggest oil producer, killing dozens of people in a country grappling with its worst cost of living crisis in a generation.
The price of petrol in Nigeria has increased by more than 400 percent since President Bola Tinubu is set to end decades-old subsidies when he takes office in May 2023. This has led to many people risking their lives to recover fuel during tanker truck accidents.
In October 2024, more than 150 people were killed after an almost similar incident occurred in Jigawa state, located in northern Nigeria.
About 100 other people were also injured in that incident, as a growing crowd flocked to an overturned tanker to collect fuel that they could then sell on the black market. Many of the victims were buried together in a large funeral organized by the authorities.
In September of the same year, another 59 people died after a fuel tanker collided with a truck carrying passengers and cattle in Niger state.
Following the October incident, Nigerian President Tinubu reaffirmed the government’s commitment to review and enhance fuel transportation safety protocols. He also said the police would strengthen measures to prevent further accidents, including increased patrolling, strict enforcement of safety rules and other highway safety mechanisms.
Authorities have also been attempting to fight oil theft, improving their security measures, including adding gunboats to vital waterways.
