At least 70 people were killed in a devastating gasoline tanker explosion in north-central Nigeria, officials confirmed on Saturday. The incident occurred in the early hours near the Suleja area of Niger state during an illegal fuel transfer between two tankers using a generator.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) stated that the generator’s operation triggered the blast, claiming the lives of those engaged in the transfer as well as bystanders. Search and rescue operations are ongoing, according to NEMA official Hussaini Isah, who spoke to the Associated Press.
Such accidents are not uncommon in Nigeria, where an inefficient railway system has made road transport the primary mode for cargo movement. Fatal truck-related accidents are frequent across the country’s major highways.
In a similar tragedy last September, at least 48 people were killed in Niger state after a gasoline tanker collided with a truck carrying cattle.
Data from Nigeria’s Federal Road Safety Corps reveals the scale of the issue, with 1,531 gasoline tanker crashes recorded in 2020 alone, resulting in 535 fatalities and over 1,100 injuries.
Authorities have urged caution and adherence to safety regulations to prevent further loss of life from such incidents.
