50 die in Niger State petrol tanker explosion

No fewer than 50 persons have been confirmed dead in a petrol tanker explosion along Dikko-Maje Road in Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State.

The Federal Road Safety Corps Commander (FRSC) in Niger State, Kumar Tsukwam, confirmed the explosion on Saturday, January 18, 2025.

Tsukwam said a loaded petrol tanker fell at the scene of the incident with people scooping the spilling fuel, unaware of the impending danger.

Tsukwam said those who went to scoop fuel were engulfed by the flames just as those who went to rescue them were also affected.

He disclosed that 50 people lost their lives in the incident.

The FRSC official, however, assured that personnel of the corps and other agencies were on ground for the rescue operation.

Also speaking on the incident, the Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Abdullahi Baba-Arah, disclosed that the explosion occurred at about 9 a.m. on Saturday.

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Baba-Arah disclosed that the explosion occurred when a loaded petrol tanker crashed, and an attempt was made to transfer its contents to another tanker.

“In the process, the petrol came into contact with a generator used to effect the transfer, triggering an explosion that claimed over 50 lives,” he said.

He added that many other persons were injured, while properties worth millions of naira were destroyed.

Baba-Arah said NSEMA, in collaboration with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Suleja LGA Emergency Committee, and volunteers, were carrying out search, rescue, and recovery operations.

He said the injured had been moved to the hospital for treatment, while efforts were ongoing to recover the corpses of the deceased.

He urged residents of the area to remain calm and cooperate with emergency responders as they work to mitigate the effects of the explosion.

The Star