At least 30 people were burnt beyond recognition and more than 40 others sustained serious injuries after a petrol tanker exploded while residents were scooping fuel at Essan and Badeggi communities along the Bida–Agaie Road in Katcha Local Government Area of Niger State.
The tragic incident occurred around 11 a.m. on Monday when the tanker, reportedly transporting fuel from Lagos to northern Nigeria, lost control and crashed due to the bad state of the road.
Eyewitnesses said moments after the accident, dozens of villagers rushed to the scene with containers to collect the leaking petrol before the vehicle suddenly burst into flames.
“While they were scooping the product, the tanker suddenly exploded, burning many beyond recognition,” an eyewitness recounted. “Those who survived were badly injured and rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Bida, for treatment.”
Confirming the tragedy, the Chairman of the Niger State Tanker Drivers Association and National Ex-Officio of NUPENG, Comrade Farouk Mohammed Kawo, blamed the deplorable condition of the Bida–Agaie–Lapai Road for the recurring tanker accidents in the area.
“Within this month alone, over 30 tanker trailers have been involved in accidents along that route,” Kawo said. “We have repeatedly warned residents, especially the youth, about the dangers of scooping fuel from accident scenes, but they won’t listen. Just last Sunday, a tanker carrying groundnut oil crashed in the same area, and people still rushed to collect it.”
He called on the Federal Government to urgently repair the dilapidated road, describing it as a “death trap” that has claimed numerous lives and destroyed properties.
In his reaction, Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives.
In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Bologi Ibrahim, the governor described the incident as “worrisome, unfortunate, and pathetic,” and commiserated with the affected families and communities.
Governor Bago also reiterated his administration’s commitment to working with federal authorities to rehabilitate major highways in the state to prevent future occurrences.
Emergency services and security operatives have since cordoned off the area to prevent further casualties, while authorities continue efforts to identify the victims and provide medical assistance to survivors.
