A devastating petrol tanker explosion has claimed the lives of more than 100 people in Taura Local Government Area (LGA), Jigawa State, with fears that the death toll could rise.
The incident occurred late Tuesday evening in Majiya, a village along the busy Kano-Hadejia expressway.
According to the Jigawa State Police Command, the tragic explosion happened when the driver of the tanker, en route from Kano to Nguru in Yobe State, lost control of the vehicle.
The tanker overturned and spilled fuel into a drainage ditch.
In an all-too-familiar pattern, local residents rushed to the scene to scoop the leaking fuel, despite the dangers.
“The driver lost control, and the tanker somersaulted, spilling its content into the drainage. Unfortunately, residents gathered to collect the fuel when the explosion occurred,” said Shi’isu Lawan Adam, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for Jigawa State.
Emergency services reported at least 50 people with severe injuries, while authorities continue to recover bodies from the scene.
Adam noted that the death toll remains provisional as rescue efforts are ongoing.
The incident serves as a grim reminder of past fuel-related disasters in Nigeria.
Despite repeated warnings from authorities urging people to stay away from accidents involving fuel tankers, many still risk their lives in a desperate attempt to collect free petrol.
Similar tragedies have occurred in other parts of the country, where explosions during fuel-scooping incidents have led to mass casualties.
“We have continually warned people to avoid such scenes, but unfortunately, they ignore these warnings, leading to incidents like this. The sheer number of people around the tanker caused this massive casualty,” Adam lamented.
This disaster has once again raised concerns about public safety awareness and the enforcement of regulations surrounding fuel transportation in Nigeria, particularly in rural areas where such incidents are all too common.
Authorities are continuing their investigation, while the affected community mourns its tremendous loss.
