Barely 48 hours after a petrol tanker explosion at Dikko Junction in Gurara Local Government Area of Niger State claimed 98 lives and injured 68 others, another tanker has fallen in Bida Local Government Area of the same state.
Witnesses reported that residents were seen stealing large amounts of groundnut oil dripping from the tanker.
News Central confirmed through a Bida resident that the fallen tanker was transporting groundnut oil.
The Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) disclosed on Sunday that 86 victims of the Dikko explosion were given a mass burial, while the injured are receiving treatment in various hospitals.
Authorities attributed the tragic loss of lives and injuries in the Dikko explosion to citizens attempting to scoop fuel, which ignited the fire.
Such incidents are alarmingly frequent in Niger State. On September 8, 2024, over 50 travelers died in a midnight tanker explosion along the Agaie-Badeggi road. Similarly, in 2022, a petrol-laden tanker exploded at Badeggi village near Bida. Although no casualties were reported, the fire destroyed two other vehicles.
The Director-General of NSEMA assured the public that the agency is actively managing the situation to prevent further incidents.
