A devastating accident occurred in Nigeria on Sunday when a fuel tanker collided head-on with another truck, resulting in a massive explosion. The blast tragically claimed the lives of more than 50 people, according to Nigeria’s emergency response agency.
The fuel tanker, which was transporting cattle in the Agaie area of Niger state, caught fire during the collision, burning at least 50 of the animals alive, reported Abdullahi Baba-Arab, the director-general of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency.Rescue efforts are currently underway, and the death toll continues to rise.
Initially, 30 bodies were discovered at the scene, but later, an additional 18 victims who were burned to death were found, Baba-Arab confirmed. All the victims were given a mass burial.
Niger State Governor Mohammed Bago urged residents to remain calm and called on road users to always follow traffic regulations to prevent such tragedies. Due to the lack of an efficient railway system, fatal truck accidents are a frequent occurrence on Nigeria’s major roads. In 2020, the Federal Road Safety Corps reported over 1,500 gasoline tanker crashes, resulting in 535 deaths and more than 1,000 injuries.
