NO fewer than 167 persons have been confirmed dead following the fuel tanker explosion in the Taura Local Government Area of Jigawa State, on Tuesday, October 15.
The state Governor Umar Namadi revealed this during a condolence visit by Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf at the Government House in Dutse on Thursday, October 17.
“As of Thursday evening, 167 lives had been lost in the fire disaster,” Punch quoted the governor to have said.
According to him, about 67 people are receiving medical treatment at various medical facilities within and outside the state.
The ICIR reported the tragedy occurred at about 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday after a tanker driver lost control near Khadija University and his truck exploded.
The driver was said to have left Kano and was heading to Nguru in Yobe when the accident occurred.
Police spokesperson in the state, Lawan Adam, said many of the victims had gathered around the tanker to scoop fuel.
The police had earlier stated that 153 people died from the explosion as of Thursday.
Meanwhile, the Jigawa State governor expressed gratitude to the Kano State Government for its support and assured that the N100 million it donated to the state over the tragedy would be used to support the victims and their families.
On Thursday, October 17, the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau, commenced an investigation into the explosion.
A statement from the agency reads in part, “The team will assess the circumstances surrounding the crash and the explosion to identify causal factors and provide safety recommendations aimed at preventing future occurrences.
“We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families affected by this devastating accident. The NSIB is committed to uncovering the cause of the explosion and ensuring that safety lessons are learnt.”
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: umustapha@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M