Forty-eight victims of a tragic petrol tanker explosion in Niger State were given a mass burial, officials confirmed on Sunday. The explosion, which occurred in Agaie Local Government Area, led to a devastating loss of life and property.
Abdullahi Baba-Arab, the Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), reported that 18 more bodies were recovered during further search and rescue operations, in addition to the 30 bodies initially found.
“Following further search and rescue operations, my agency discovered 18 more bodies, which were also burnt to death, and all the dead have been given mass burial,” Baba-Arab said.
The catastrophic event happened around 12:30 a.m. on Sunday along the Lapai-Agaie road, approximately 2 kilometers from Dendo Community. The accident occurred when a petrol tanker, loaded with Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), collided head-on with a trailer truck carrying passengers and cattle from Wudil, Kano State, en route to Lagos. The impact triggered a massive explosion that resulted in the deaths of 48 people and the burning alive of over 50 cattle.
NSEMA’s statement detailed the gravity of the incident: “The tanker explosion happened on Sunday, 8th September 2024, at about 12:30 a.m. along Lapai-Agaie road, 2km from Dendo Community in Agaie LGA. The incident involved a petrol tanker loaded with PMS colliding with a trailer truck carrying travelers and cattle from Wudil, Kano State, heading to Lagos. Two other vehicles, a crane truck and a pickup van, were also involved.”
Emergency teams, including NSEMA’s Rapid Response Team (RRT) and the Local Government Emergency Management Committees (LGEMCs), were immediately dispatched to the scene to conduct search and rescue operations. Despite their efforts, more bodies remained trapped inside the vehicles, leading to the unfortunate high death toll.
Reacting to the incident, Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives and the destruction caused by the explosion. In a statement released by his Chief Press Secretary, Bologi Ibrahim, the Governor conveyed his grief and called for calm among residents in the affected area.
“The Governor is pained by the unfortunate incident and the colossal loss incurred,” the statement read.
He also urged road users to exercise caution and strictly adhere to traffic regulations to prevent such tragedies in the future.
Governor Bago extended his prayers for the repose of the souls of the departed and wished a speedy recovery to those who were injured in the explosion.