Nigeria: Fuel Tanker Explosion Kills At Least 140

Improve the News Foundation -
0:00
/1861

Facts

  • A gasoline tanker overturned and exploded in Jigawa, Nigeria, resulting in over 140 deaths and at least 50 injuries, as people rushed to the overturned vehicle to collect fuel.[1][2]
  • Emergency services said Wednesday that the incident occurred near midnight in Jigawa's Majiya village when the tanker driver lost control while traveling on a highway and veered off course to avoid a collision with a truck.[2][1]
  • According to police spokesperson Lawan Adam, locals who heard about the accident hurried to the scene to retrieve fuel, which led to the 'massive inferno' that claimed numerous lives.[3]
  • The head of the Jigawa State Emergency Management Agency said 97 people died on the scene, while others succumbed to their injuries while undergoing treatment in a hospital.[4]
  • Deadly truck accidents are common along many of Nigeria's main roads. Last month, at least 48 people were killed when a fuel tanker exploded after colliding with another truck carrying travelers and cattle in north-central Nigeria.[5][6][7]
  • In 2020, Nigeria recorded 1,531 petrol tanker crashes, resulting in 535 deaths and 1,142 injuries. With an estimated 87M citizens living below the poverty line, it comes second to India for hosting the world's largest poor population.[2][8]

Sources: [1]Associated Press, [2]Al Jazeera, [3]Africanews, [4]TRT Afrika, [5]Reuters, [6]Guardian, [7]HonestReporting and [8]World Bank.

Narratives

  • Narrative A, as provided by CNN and Voice of America. This tragic incident underscores the urgent need for improved road safety measures and stricter enforcement of traffic regulations in Nigeria. The lack of alternative transportation options, such as an efficient railway system, exacerbates the problem. It's high time for the government to invest in infrastructure and implement comprehensive road safety programs to prevent such devastating accidents.
  • Narrative B, as provided by CBS and Punch Newspapers. The root cause of this tragedy lies in the country's economic crisis and soaring fuel prices, which drive desperate citizens to risk their lives for a few liters of gasoline. The recent 39% increase in gas prices by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company has only worsened the situation. Until the government addresses these underlying economic issues, such accidents will continue to claim innocent lives.

Predictions