Tragedy In Niger State: Fuel Tanker Explosion Claims 30 Lives, 40 Others Badly Injured

A petrol-laden tanker exploded on Tuesday, claiming about 30 lives and leaving 40 others injured along the Agaie–Baddegi Road in Niger State.

The tragic incident occurred around 11 a.m. near Essa village, shortly after Agaie, when residents reportedly rushed to scoop fuel from the overturned tanker.

Eyewitnesses told Leadership that most of the victims were among those collecting petrol from the scene before the tanker suddenly burst into flames.

Confirming the tragedy, Niger State Chairman of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) branch of NUPENG and National Ex-Officio, Comrade Farouk Mohammed Kawo, described the explosion as heartbreaking and avoidable.

The incident comes just weeks after a similar tanker explosion along the Abeokuta–Sagamu Expressway, which also claimed several lives and destroyed property.

That earlier disaster occurred around 1 a.m. on Friday, October 3, 2025, when a 33,000-litre petrol tanker lost control due to excessive speeding, overturned, and ignited into a massive fireball.

According to the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency (TRACE) spokesperson, Babatunde Akinbiyi, the fire spread rapidly, consuming nearby vehicles and damaging power installations.

He said, “The incident involved a 30,000-litre petrol tanker that lost control at high speed, fell on its side, and spilt its contents, leading to an inferno that caused multiple casualties and property damage.”