The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has disclosed that over 70 died and over 56 injured in the tanker explosion in Niger State on Saturday.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Saturday along Dikko-Maje Road opposite Baddegi Station.
The agency, while stating that most of the victims were burnt beyond recognition, added that the injured have been taken to hospitals.
The incident happened on Saturday morning in Dikko junction along the expressway between Niger and Kaduna states.
The Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) which confirmed the casualty figure on Saturday, said several properties worth millions were also burnt down during the incident, which left several people injured.
NSEMA Director General, Abdullahi Baba Arah said that the incident occurred around 9am along the Dikko-Maje road opposite Baddegi fuelling station.
He said: “The incident occurred when a tanker loaded with PMS crashed, and an attempt was made by the drivers to transfer its contents to a second tanker.
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“In the process, the spelling PMS came in contact with a generator that was used to power the transfer process, triggering an explosion of flames that has caused over 50 death injured many and destroyed properties estimated in millions.”
Another source disclosed that shortly after the speeding tanker fell and spilt its content, onlookers rushed to the scene to scoop the liquid content.
“It was while they were scooping the fuel that the tanker exploded and burnt many of the residents who were scooping the fuel, while those who were not so close to the tanker escaped with injuries”, the source said.
Arah said that the agency was working in collaboration with NEMA, Suleja local government area Emergency Committee and volunteers to carry out search, rescue and recovery operation to rescue the injured who have been moved to hospital for treatment and recover corpses.
NEMA said: “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”.
The Director General of NEMA, Mrs. Zubaida Umar while expressing sympathy for the victims and their families, condemned the act of poor handling of spilled tankers. She stated the recurrent tragedies associated with such risky behaviour.
The DG expressed regrets that, despite the Agency’s extensive public sensitization campaigns with other stakeholders on the dangers of the 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.
She said the incident serves as a reminder of the need for strict adherence to safety measures during such emergencies.
