No fewer than 60 bodies have been recovered following a tragic tanker explosion in Dikko, Gurara Local Government Area of Niger State.
The incident, which occurred on Saturday morning, also left several others injured.
The tanker, with registration number KBG-103-XAX, was owned by HMY Oil and Gas and driven by Mohammed Modu. It was carrying 60,000 litres of petrol from Lagos to Gwagwalada, Federal Capital Territory, when the vehicle’s body detached from its head, causing a catastrophic spill.
The Niger State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Kumar Tsukwam, provided the casualty update. According to him, many of the victims were scavengers who had gathered to scoop fuel from the fallen tanker despite warnings. Tragically, the fire spread to a second tanker nearby, exacerbating the devastation.
Abdullah Baba Arah, Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), revealed that the explosion was triggered by a generator being used to transfer fuel from the fallen tanker to another vehicle.