By A tragic tanker explosion has claimed the lives of over 30 people and left more than 40 others injured in Niger State, sparking outrage and renewed calls for road repairs and safety enforcement.
The deadly incident occurred around 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday at Essan and Badeggi communities along the Bida–Agaie Road in Katcha Local Government Area, when a fuel-laden tanker fell and exploded.
According to eyewitnesses, the victims were scooping fuel from the fallen tanker before it suddenly burst into flames, setting off an inferno that spread rapidly. Several people were burnt beyond recognition, while survivors were rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment.
“The explosion was like a bomb — people ran in all directions, but the fire spread too fast,” one eyewitness told Pulse Wire NG.
The Chairman of the Niger State Tanker Drivers Association and National Ex-Officio of NUPENG, Comrade Farouk Kawo, described the explosion as “devastating and totally avoidable.”
He confirmed that the tanker was transporting petroleum products from Lagos to the northern part of the country when it crashed.
Kawo lamented the poor state of the Bida–Agaie road, revealing that over 30 tanker accidents have occurred along the same route this October alone.
“Just last Sunday, another tanker carrying groundnut oil crashed here, and residents rushed to scoop it. People are risking their lives out of desperation,” Kawo said.
Efforts to reach the Director-General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Abdullahi Baba-Arah, were unsuccessful as calls to his phone went unanswered.
Meanwhile, NUPENG has urged Governor Umaru Bago to urgently fix the dangerous portions of the Bida–Agaie road, warning that more lives could be lost if immediate action is not taken.
This tragedy once again highlights Nigeria’s recurring fuel-scooping disasters, often caused by poor infrastructure, unemployment, and lack of safety awareness.
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