By Atoyebi Nike
A petrol-laden tanker explosion on the Agaie-Baddegi Road in Niger State has killed about 30 people and left 40 others injured, in one of the deadliest fire incidents in the state this year.
Eyewitnesses said the tragedy occurred around 11 a.m. on Tuesday near Essa village, shortly after Agaie, when a tanker overturned and spilled its contents. Residents and passers-by reportedly rushed to scoop the leaking petrol before the vehicle exploded, engulfing the area in flames.
“The explosion was massive people who came to collect fuel were caught up in it,” said a local witness who helped with rescue efforts.
Confirming the incident, Comrade Farouk Mohammed Kawo, Chairman of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) branch in Niger State and NUPENG National Ex-Officio, described the explosion as “a tragic and avoidable loss.”
Emergency responders and security agencies were deployed to the scene, while several victims with severe burns were rushed to nearby hospitals in Agaie and Bida.
Authorities have since warned residents against approaching accident scenes involving petroleum tankers, stressing the extreme risk of ignition.
