Tragedy struck on Tuesday at Essa village along the Agaie–Bida road in Katcha Local Government Area of Niger State, as at least 28 people — mostly women and children — lost their lives in a petrol tanker explosion.
Among the bereaved is Mallam Surajo Muhammad Shehu, who said he lost eight members of his extended family in the incident.
The explosion occurred around 2 p.m., after a petrol-laden tanker fell due to the poor condition of the road. Witnesses said some residents rushed to the scene to scoop fuel from the fallen tanker before it suddenly exploded, engulfing several people and vehicles in flames.
“I lost eight of my relatives in that explosion,” Mallam Shehu told reporters. “They were among those who went to fetch the spilled petrol. It’s a tragedy our family will never forget.”
Emergency responders and security personnel were said to have arrived hours later to evacuate the victims and clear the wreckage. Authorities confirmed that 28 people died, while several others sustained varying degrees of burns and are receiving treatment at nearby hospitals.
Local residents have blamed the incident on the deplorable state of the Agaie–Bida road, which they say has claimed several lives in recent years. They called on the Niger State Government to urgently rehabilitate the road to prevent further tragedies.
The Niger State Police Command has yet to release an official statement on the incident as of press time.
