A fuel tanker explosion in Jigawa state, northwestern Nigeria, has claimed the lives of at least 140 people, with dozens more injured, according to local police and emergency officials.
The incident occurred on an expressway when the tanker overturned, and residents rushed to the scene to collect fuel from the wreckage. The explosion, which happened overnight, sparked a massive fire.
Haruna Mairiga, the head of Jigawa State Emergency Management Agency, told the Associated Press that 97 victims were “burned to ashes” at the scene, with a total of 147 fatalities recorded.
Nura Abdullahi, a spokesperson for the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), confirmed that over 140 victims were buried in a mass funeral, warning that the death toll could rise further.
The tanker, which had travelled approximately 110 kilometres from Kano state, veered off course to avoid a collision with another truck in the town of Majia, according to police reports.
Following the crash, locals gathered around the overturned vehicle to scoop fuel, which likely contributed to the high number of casualties when the explosion occurred.
Video footage from the scene showed the inferno engulfing the area, with bodies scattered amid the flames. The fire continued to burn into the early hours of Wednesday.
The Nigerian Medical Association called on doctors to provide emergency care for the wounded, many of whom were transported to hospitals in the nearby towns of Ringim and Hadejia.
High Demand
Vice President Kashim Shettima issued a statement calling for a safety review and announcing federal assistance for those affected.
Deadly truck accidents are common on Nigeria’s roads, often attributed to reckless driving, poor road infrastructure, and inadequate vehicle maintenance.
Just last month, 48 people were killed in a similar explosion after a fuel tanker collided with a truck in Niger state.
Fuel tanker explosions, such as this one, frequently result in mass casualties, as residents often attempt to siphon fuel following accidents.
The high demand for fuel, exacerbated by Nigeria’s ongoing economic crisis, has made the commodity even more valuable. The Nigerian National Petroleum Company recently increased petrol prices by 39 percent, marking the second significant hike within a year.
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