More than 70 people have been killed and more injured in a fuel tanker explosion in the Dikko area of Niger State, according to authorities.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) swiftly deployed an emergency rescue team to the scene along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway.
It said the incident occurred in the morning hours of Saturday along Dikko-Maje Road opposite Baddegi Station.
“According to reports, the explosion occurred after the crashing of a tanker loaded with PMS and an attempt was made to transfer its contents to another.
“In the process, the spilled PMS came in contact with the generator being used to power the transfer, triggering the inferno that have claimed over 70 lives, injured more than 56 persons, and destroyed shops and property.
“While most of the deaths were burnt beyond recognition, the injured persons have been evacuated to nearby hospitals for urgent medical attention. Most of the victims were members of the community and passers-by.
“However, the rescue evacuation is still ongoing,” NEMA said in the statement.
The Director General of NEMA, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, expressed deep sympathy for the victims and their families. She condemned the act of poor handling of spilled tankers, stressing the recurrent tragedies associated with such risky behavior.
The DG of NEMA expressed regrets that, despite the Agency’s extensive public sensitization campaigns with other stakeholders on the dangers of this practice, many individuals continue to ignore the warnings.
Under her directive, NEMA’s emergency team led by the Head of NEMA Minna Operation Office Mr Hussaini Isah, is collaborating with first responders to manage the aftermath, including evacuating victims and providing necessary assistance to the affected community.
She also reiterated the agency’s commitment to public safety and the prevention of similar incidents through continued awareness and rapid response.
Niger State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Kumar Tsukwam, had earlier narrated how people rushed to scoop up the spilled petrol after the truck overturned.
“The tanker burst into flames, engulfing another tanker,” he said in a statement.
“Most of the victims were burnt beyond recognition,” Tsukwam said. “We are at the scene to clear things up,” he said, adding that firefighters had managed to put out the fire.
Niger State Governor Mohammed Bago, in a statement, said that many people are believed to have perished in a huge fire caused by the tanker explosion.
He described the incident as “worrisome, heartbreaking, and unfortunate.
Bago, who visited the scene of the tanker explosion around Dikko junction, Gurara local government area of the state, decried the recklessness of some drivers.
He said it is not acceptable for any vehicle coming from Maje to pass through the bridge, rather they should follow under the bridge and take a U-turn appropriately.
He enjoined the Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps to establish a detachment in the area to ensure the enforcement of the directive, while calling on all relevant transport Unions to cooperate with the Road Safety Corps.
He called on the Federal Government to expedite action to complete the Minna-Suleja road as the delay in the road project is contributing to the continuous loss of many lives.
