At least 45 people were burnt beyond recognition in a tragic accident involving a petrol tanker, a truck carrying cattle, and a passenger vehicle along Agaie-Bida road near Man-Woro village in Niger State.
The incident occurred near Man-Woro village at around 1 am on Sunday.
The truck, which was transporting goods, cattle, and passengers, had departed from Wudil, Kano State, and was heading to Lagos while the passenger vehicle was en route to the Agaie Sunday market.
According to reports, the tanker fell, spilling fuel, which ignited a fire. As the truck and passenger vehicle tried to avoid the fire, they were caught in the flames, leading to the devastating loss of life. Over 50 cattle were being burnt alive.
The Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Alhaji Abdullahi Baba Arah, confirmed the incident, stating that over 30 bodies had already been recovered, with rescue teams continuing to search for more victims trapped in the vehicles.
He said the agency is working alongside local government emergency teams to respond to the situation.
“Over 30 people are already confirmed dead, with over 50 cattle burnt alive. NSEMA’s Rapid Respond Team (RRT), in conjunction with LGEMCs, is still on scene of the incidence conducting search and response operation as more corpses are still trapped inside the trucks,” he stated.
Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Bologi Ibrahim. He described the incident as painful and said that NSEMA and other agencies had been mobilised to the scene for rescue operations.
The governor urged road users to exercise caution and follow traffic regulations to prevent such accidents. He offered prayers for the deceased, wishing them peace, and for the swift recovery of those injured.