Hundreds of mourners, along with local government officials, gathered in northern Nigeria on Wednesday for the mass burial of over 140 people who lost their lives in a catastrophic tanker explosion.
The tragedy took place in Majiya, a town in Jigawa state, after a gasoline tanker overturned. As residents attempted to collect fuel leaking from the truck, the tanker exploded, causing severe destruction. Emergency services reported that many of the victims were burned beyond recognition.
Authorities also visited survivors being treated at a local hospital.
Tanker accidents are common in Nigeria, where road transport is heavily relied upon due to the absence of a functional railway system. As fuel prices soar following the removal of the government’s gas subsidy, many people take the risk of salvaging fuel from overturned trucks.
According to police, the explosion occurred around midnight after the tanker driver lost control on the highway. Residents rushed to the scene to collect the leaking fuel before the massive blaze erupted.
This incident echoes another tragedy in September when at least 48 people were killed in a similar accident involving a fuel tanker in north-central Nigeria. The recent disaster has reignited concerns over the enforcement of safety and traffic regulations in the country, where such accidents are all too frequent.
