THE National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has revealed that the tanker explosion in Essan community, Katcha Local Government Area of Niger State on Tuesday, October 21, claimed 39 lives and left over 60 persons with severe burns.
Among the casualties and survivors were children and women, NEMA said.
The agency said it had activated its Emergency to the disaster and warned Nigerians against scooping fuel.
In a statement on X on Wednesday, October 22, NEMA said its officials joined staff of other agencies, including the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA); Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC); Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC); the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), to evacuate people affected the tragedy.
“The victims were reportedly among those attempting to scoop fuel from a fallen tanker when the explosion occurred. Upon receiving the distress report, the Director General of NEMA, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, immediately directed the Head of NEMA Minna Operations Office, Mr. Hussaini Isah, to activate the rescue team and deploy to the scene to support the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) and other responders in rescue operations.
“NEMA’s team, working alongside NSEMA, the Police, NSCDC, FRSC, DSS, local vigilantes, and community volunteers, successfully evacuated the injured victims to nearby health facilities including the Essan Primary Health Centre, Idris Private Hospital, and the Federal Medical Centre, Bida, for emergency treatment,” said the agency.
It noted that multi-stakeholders rescue team had commenced detail assessment of damages in the affected community.
While commiserating with the victims and affected families, the NEMA director-general warned Nigerians to desist from scooping fuel from accident tankers, stressing that such acts had repeatedly led to avoidable loss of lives.
She also advised residents and motorists to steer clear of accident scenes and promptly report such incidents to emergency agencies for professional handling.
The ICIR reports that scores of Nigerians have died in tanker explosion tragedies in recent years while scooping fuel. Some of the incidents occurred in Niger State.
ON January 20, 2025, a gasoline tanker accident led to an explosion that claimed at least 86 lives near the Suleja area of the state. The tanker overturned, spilled its contents, and later exploded moments after people began scooping fuel.
Earlier in October 2024, a similar incident occurred in Majiya, Jigawa State. A fuel tanker overturned. As residents rushed to fetch the spilling fuel – a practice driven by economic desperation – the tanker exploded, resulting in over 150 deaths. Many victims were burned beyond recognition, while about 100 others were injured. The victims were buried together in a mass funeral organised by the government.
In September of the same year, another 59 people were killed in Niger State after a fuel tanker collided with a truck carrying passengers and cattle.
Marcus bears the light, and he beams it everywhere. He's a good governance and decent society advocate. He's The ICIR Reporter of the Year 2022 and has been the organisation's News Editor since September 2023. Contact him via email @ mfatunmole@icirnigeria.org