“Tragic”: More than 60 people were killed in an oil tanker explosion in Nigeria | news

The death toll from the latest tanker explosion in Africa’s largest economy is likely to rise amid rising fuel costs.

At least 60 people were killed and others injured in a fuel tanker explosion in the Diko area of ​​Niger State, northern Nigeria, according to local authorities.

Kumar Tsukwam, Niger State Sector Commander at the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), said on Saturday that people rushed to dig out the spilled petrol after the truck overturned. He added in a statement: “The tanker caught fire and was engulfed by another tanker.”

“Most of the victims were burned beyond recognition,” Tsukwam said. “We are at the scene to clarify matters,” he added, adding that firefighters were able to put out the fire.

Niger’s governor, Mohamed Bago, confirmed the incident in a statement and said he believed several people died in a huge fire caused by the tanker’s explosion.

He described the incident as “worrying, heartbreaking and unfortunate.”

Tanker accidents are common

Such incidents have become common in Africa’s largest oil producer, killing dozens in the country suffering from its worst cost of living crisis in a generation.

The price of petrol in Nigeria has risen by more than 400 percent since President Bola Tinubu eliminated decades-long subsidies when he took office in May 2023. This has prompted many to risk their lives to retrieve fuel during tanker truck accidents.

In October 2024, More than 150 people were killed After an almost similar incident occurred in Jigawa State, also in northern Nigeria.

About 100 other people were also injured in this accident, as a growing crowd approached an overturned tanker to obtain fuel which they could then sell on the black market. Many of the victims were buried together in a large funeral organized by the authorities.

In September of the same year, another 59 people were killed in Niger State after a fuel tanker collided with a truck carrying passengers and livestock.

Following the October accident, Nigerian President Tinubu reaffirmed the government’s commitment to review and strengthen fuel transportation safety protocols. He also said that the police will strengthen measures to prevent further accidents, including increased patrols, stricter enforcement of safety regulations, and other highway safety mechanisms.

The authorities were too Involved in an effort to fight oil theftAfter it improved its security measures, including adding gunboats on important waterways.