Another tanker explodes in Niger, injures driver, motorboy
Barely one week after a tanker loaded with fuel crashed in Niger State killing over 100 persons, another tanker carrying 40,000 litres of fuel has crashed.
Although nobody was killed in the crash, the driver and his motorboy suffered injuries and were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment.
According to an eyewitness who gave his name simply as Abdul, the incident happened on Monday evening when the tanker had a tyre burst resulting in its crash and spilling of the 40,000 litres of fuel.
The tanker was said to be heading to Kaduna from Lagos State when it lost control and crashed into a nearby drainage along the Agaie-Lapai Road in Niger State. and exploded
The Niger State Police Command’s spokesman, Wasiu Abiodun, who confirmed the accident on Tuesday in a WhatsApp message, said the road was temporarily closed when the incident occurred
“On 27/1/2025 at about 6.30 pm, there was a lone fuel tanker accident with a fire explosion along Agaie/Lapai Road. The fuel tanker with Reg. No. DKA 03 A, driven by one Shamsudeen Dayabu of Matazun LGA of Katsina State on transit from Lagos to Kaduna and loaded with about 40,000 litres of PMS.
“On reaching the Kusogbogi area of Agaie, the tanker lost control due to a busted front tyre and fell by the road into the drainage. As a result, the tanker caught fire and affected the driver on the leg and the motor boy was also affected, they were taken to a nearby hospital.
“No life was lost during the incident as the road was temporarily closed, but normalcy was later restored for road users,” Abiodun stated.
Recall that the last tanker explosion in the state occurred in Dikko, Gurara Local Government Area when a tanker loaded with fuel crashed on the road.
While a large number of the residents rushed to scoop fuel spilling from the tanker, it exploded and killed over 100 of the residents.
The state governor, Mohammed Bago, following the Dikko tragedy, gave some directives aimed at reducing the incidents of tanker collapse in the state.
