At least 60 people have been killed and several others injured in northern Nigeria following a deadly petrol tanker explosion on Saturday. The incident occurred in Niger state, after the tanker overturned and its contents ignited, causing a massive fire. The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) confirmed the tragic event, with the explosion engulfing a second tanker nearby.
The explosion is the latest in a series of deadly fuel-related accidents in Nigeria, a country struggling with both high levels of poverty and lax safety regulations. Most of the victims are believed to have been local residents who rushed to collect spilled petrol from the overturned tanker, a common but perilous practice in the region.
Kumar Tsukwam, the FRSC sector commander for Niger state, provided further details, stating that the fire quickly spread, claiming the lives of many who were too close to escape the flames. “The tanker burst into flames, and the fire spread to another tanker, leaving 60 dead,” Tsukwam confirmed in a statement.
This tragedy follows a similar incident in Jigawa state last October, when a petrol tanker explosion killed 147 people, marking one of the deadliest fuel-related accidents in the country’s history. As emergency services continue to recover bodies from the wreckage, authorities have reiterated warnings against the dangerous practice of scavenging fuel from overturned tankers.