Valentine Okafor
A fuel tanker explosion in northern Nigeria has reportedly killed 147 people and injured 70, according to emergency services and the police.
The blast, which happened late evening local time on Tuesday in Majiya, a village in Jigawa state, occurred after the vehicle crashed and while locals were attempting to steal fuel.
“The driver lost control and the tanker somersaulted and spilled fuel into a drainage ditch,” Jigawa Police spokesperson Shiisu Lawan Adam said.
“As a result, residents rushed to scoop the fuel when the explosion happened.”
A mass burial was held on Wednesday afternoon for the victims, Adam added.
The death toll has been rising steadily since news of the deadly explosion broke, with 147 people confirmed dead by Wednesday evening local time, according to a statement from the Nigeria National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
Vice President Kashim Shettima mourned the victims in a statement Wednesday, saying: “My heart aches for those who have had their families torn apart by this disaster.
“This devastating incident has shaken us all to our core. The Federal Government stands with the people of Jigawa. We are mobilising all necessary resources to support the injured and assist the families affected by this calamity.”
Shettima also announced “immediate federal government intervention and called for a comprehensive review of fuel transportation safety protocols.”
The blast comes a month after At least 48 people were killed in a similar accident in the north-central Niger state.
Fuel tanker explosions are not unusual in Africa’s most populous country, where oil supplies are frequently dispatched by road.
Previous fires have led to multiple casualties. In 2020, more than 500 people lost their lives in more than 1,500 fuel tanker accidents recorded that year, according to Nigeria’s road safety Agency.
Residents, beleaguered by soaring living costs in the West African nation – where gasoline is scarce and expensive – often brave danger to scoop fuel from fallen tankers or damaged oil pipelines.
Gas prices have risen dramatically to more than six times their usual rate since the government ended fuel subsidies last year.
Poverty remains rife in Nigeria despite its status as one of Africa’s largest oil producers.