The death toll from the tragic petrol tanker explosion along the Bida-Agaie-Lapai road in Niger State has risen to 48, with 50 cows also confirmed dead.
The explosion, which occurred in the early hours of Sunday, has left the local community in shock as emergency services continue their recovery efforts.
Earlier reports had indicated that over 30 people had perished in the explosion, but updated information from the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) now confirms a higher death toll. Abdullah Baba-Arah, the Director-General of NSEMA, provided the grim update in a statement issued from the state capital, Minna.
Baba-Arah disclosed that the incident occurred around 12:30 a.m. on Sunday, roughly two kilometers away from Dendo community in Agaie Local Government Area.
The disaster happened when a petrol tanker carrying Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) collided with a trailer truck filled with passengers and cattle traveling from Wudil, Kano State, to Lagos.
In addition to the tanker and trailer, two other vehicles—a crane truck and a pickup van—were also caught in the fiery explosion.
Baba-Arah stated, “Over 48 people have been confirmed dead, with more still believed to be trapped inside the wreckage.”
He also confirmed that 50 cows were burnt alive in the explosion.
The agency’s Rapid Response Team (RRT), alongside Local Emergency Management Committees (LGEMCs), has been working tirelessly at the scene, conducting search and rescue operations to recover bodies still trapped in the damaged vehicles.