Niger Governor Laments as 35 Perish in Petrol Tanker Blaze

The governor of Niger State has offered his deepest sympathies to the families shattered by a devastating tanker accident that claimed the lives of at least 35 people and injured 17 others along a major highway on Tuesday afternoon.
Mohammed Bago described the tragedy as a heartbreaking and avoidable disaster in a message delivered through his chief press secretary, Bologi Ibrahim. The explosion unfolded near Essa village along the Bida-Agaie road in the Katcha area, where a lorry carrying petrol overturned in what began as a simple collision.
Local residents rushed to the scene to collect the spilled fuel, a move that sparked a massive fireball engulfing the vehicle and those nearby. Among the losses were three motorcycles reduced to charred husks, while the total toll reached 48 individuals caught in the flames, with the initial count of 31 fatalities climbing to 35 as more victims succumbed to their wounds.
The state police spokesperson, Wasiu Abiodun, detailed how the incident unfolded around 2:40 p.m., with officers swiftly deploying alongside other security teams to aid in rescue efforts and secure the area. The injured received urgent care at nearby medical centres, and investigators are now hunting for the driver and vehicle owner to piece together the chain of events.
In his heartfelt response, Governor Bago called on his fellow citizens to place greater worth on their safety, no matter the temptation. He decried the repeated rush to siphon fuel from wrecked tankers, despite repeated warnings about the deadly risks involved. “It is deeply saddening to see how persistently people approach overturned tankers to gather their contents, even after countless alerts on the perils of such behaviour,” the statement read. The governor also invoked prayers for the departed souls and a swift return to health for those fighting for recovery.
This fresh calamity echoes a grim pattern of fuel-related disasters plaguing the nation. Just last January, more than 70 lives were lost in a similar blaze in the same state as villagers scrambled for leaking petrol. A probe carried out earlier this year laid bare the shocking scale of the problem, uncovering over 400 deaths from tanker explosions in the previous 12 months alone. In response, national leaders rolled out a widespread public education drive to hammer home the dangers of tampering with spilled fuel, yet such incidents persist, leaving communities reeling and authorities scrambling for better safeguards.