Dozens of persons are feared dead, while about 40 others sustained varying degrees of injuries in a tragic tanker explosion that occurred on Tuesday in Niger State.
The incident happened around 11:00 a.m. at Essan and Badeggi communities along the Bida–Agaie road in Katcha Local Government Area of the state.
According to eyewitnesses, the victims were scooping fuel from a fallen tanker when the vehicle suddenly exploded, setting off a massive fire that engulfed several people.
Many victims were said to have been burnt beyond recognition, while the injured were evacuated to nearby hospitals for treatment.
Confirming the incident, the Chairman of the Niger State Tanker Drivers Association and National Ex-Officio of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Comrade Farouk Kawo, described the tragedy as devastating and avoidable, stating that the ill-fated tanker was conveying petroleum products from Lagos to the northern part of the country when it crashed.
