Fuel tanker explosion kills scores of people in northwestern Nigeria

A fuel tanker explosion in northern Nigeria has killed more than 140 people, a spokesperson for the national emergency agency said.

Victims were burnt to death on Tuesday trying to collect fuel that had spilled from the crashed vehicle in the town of Majia in Jigawa state.

Nura Abdullahi, a spokesperson for the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), said on Wednesday "more than 140" people have been buried in a mass grave and warned the toll was likely to rise further.

The tanker exploded along the Kano-Hadejia expressway in the local government area of Taura in Jigawa state, police spokesperson Lawan Adamu said.

He added that the incident occurred on Tuesday night, with the tanker triggering a massive fire that burned until 3.15 am (0215GMT) on Wednesday.

The fuel tanker was also carrying cattle in the Agaie area in north-central Niger state, and at least 50 of them were burned alive, Abdullahi Baba-Arab, director-general of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, said.

Fuel tanker explosions are common in Africa's most populous nation, where roads can be poorly maintained and residents often look to siphon off fuel following accidents.

Fuel has become an even more precious commodity as Nigeria suffers its worst economic crisis in a generation.

The price of petrol has soared fivefold since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu scrapped subsidies last year, and there are often shortages.

Desperation rose further last week after the state oil company hiked prices for the second time in just over a month.

Dangerous roads

Accidents involving tankers are frequent in the country, with the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) recording 1,531 in 2020, causing 535 deaths.

Last month, at least 59 people died when a fuel tanker collided with a truck carrying passengers and cattle in northwestern Niger state.

The FRSC said more than 5,000 people died in road accidents in Nigeria in 2023, compared to nearly 6,500 the previous year.

But according to the World Health Organization, the figures do not include accidents that are not reported to the authorities.

It estimates annual road accident deaths in Nigeria to be closer to 40,000, it said in a report published last year.

Deadly fires and explosions also take place across fuel and oil infrastructure in Nigeria, one of the continent's largest crude producers.