Eighteen people were killed in a tragic truck accident in southeastern Nigeria, authorities confirmed on Sunday, just a week after another petrol tanker explosion claimed 98 lives.
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) reported that the crash, which occurred near the town of Enugu, involved 31 people in total. Ten individuals were rescued with varying degrees of injury, while three others escaped unharmed. Tragically, the victims who lost their lives were burned beyond recognition.
The tanker, which was carrying premium motor spirit, suffered a brake failure, causing the driver to lose control. The tanker subsequently collided with 17 other vehicles, triggering a deadly fire.
Enugu state governor Peter Mbah expressed his concern over the recurring accidents involving petrol tankers.
He urged the FRSC to enforce safety regulations, particularly the ban on tankers without anti-spill locks, to prevent future tragedies.
This latest incident follows a horrific petrol tanker explosion on January 18, which killed 98 people and injured 69 others.
The explosion occurred on the road connecting Abuja to the northern city of Kaduna after a tanker carrying 60,000 litres of gasoline overturned. Many of those killed and injured had rushed to the scene in search of fuel amidst rising petrol prices, exacerbated by an ongoing economic crisis in Nigeria.
The ongoing fuel crisis in Nigeria has led to skyrocketing petrol prices, which have increased fivefold in the past 18 months, despite the country’s position as Africa’s largest oil producer.
Economic reforms, including the removal of fuel subsidies, have contributed to this price surge, leading many Nigerians to take dangerous risks in search of fuel.
