At least 30 people have been confirmed dead, while 40 others sustained varying degrees of injuries after a petrol-laden tanker exploded on Agaie–Baddegi Road in Niger State on Tuesday.
According to findings by LEADERSHIP, the tragic incident occurred around Essa Village, near Agaie, when residents gathered to scoop fuel from a fallen tanker before it suddenly exploded.
Eyewitnesses said the explosion happened around 11 a.m., engulfing several people who were collecting the spilled fuel.
“The victims were mostly those scooping petrol before the explosion occurred,” a local resident said.
Confirming the incident, the Niger State Chairman of Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) and Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) National Ex-Officio, Comrade Farouk Mohammed Kawo, said the explosion claimed multiple lives and left many others injured.
Emergency responders and security operatives were deployed to the scene to evacuate victims and contain the fire outbreak.
Authorities have yet to release an official statement on the cause of the explosion or the full casualty figure as of press time.
