A total of 48 victims of the tragic petrol tanker explosion that occurred in Agaie Local Government Area of Niger State have been laid to rest in a mass burial.
This was confirmed by the Director-General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Abdullahi Baba-Arah, on Sunday.
The incident, which took place in the early hours of Sunday, saw a petrol tanker loaded with Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) collide with a trailer truck carrying passengers and cattle along the Lapai-Agaie road, about 2 kilometers from Dendo community. Baba-Arah revealed that following additional search and rescue operations, 18 more bodies were recovered, adding to the 30 initially reported.
“Following further search and rescue operations, my agency discovered 18 more bodies which were also burnt to death, and all the dead have been given mass burial,” Baba-Arah stated.
The explosion, which occurred at approximately 12:30 a.m., involved not only the petrol tanker and the trailer truck but also two other vehicles—a crane truck and a pickup van.
In addition to the human casualties, over 50 cattle were burned alive in the resulting inferno.
In a statement from NSEMA, the agency confirmed: “Over 30 people have already been confirmed dead, with more than 50 cattle burnt alive. NSEMA’s Rapid Response Team (RRT), in conjunction with Local Emergency Management Committees (LGEMCs), is still at the scene conducting search and rescue operations, as more bodies remain trapped inside the vehicles.”
Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives and property.
In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Bologi Ibrahim, the Governor conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and urged residents to remain calm.
“The Governor is pained by the unfortunate incident and the colossal loss incurred. He called on road users to always be cautious and abide by road traffic regulations to safeguard lives and property,” the statement read.
Governor Bago also prayed for the repose of the souls of the departed and wished those injured a quick recovery.