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Johannesburg — In a tragic incident on Tuesday night, a fuel tanker crash in Nigeria resulted in the deaths of over 90 individuals, with an additional 50 suffering injuries, according to local authorities. A police representative reported that the driver lost control of the vehicle in Majiya town, located near Kano in northern Nigeria.
A mass burial for the victims was scheduled for Wednesday morning, while the injured parties were receiving care at the nearby Ringim General Hospital.
Witnesses indicated that the high casualty figure was largely due to the subsequent actions of nearby residents. As is frequently the case in fuel-related accidents, many locals flocked to the scene in a desperate attempt to collect the spilled fuel.
“The residents were scooping up fuel from the overturned tanker when the explosion occurred, igniting a catastrophic fire that claimed 94 lives instantly,” shared police spokesperson Lawan Adam in remarks to The Associated Press.
This incident adds to a grim history of similar accidents; just last month, a collision between a fuel tanker and a truck carrying people and livestock led to the deaths of 48 individuals, with many perishing in the blaze.
Road accidents involving trucks are prevalent in Nigeria, often attributed to the deplorable condition of the nation’s roadways.
The World Health Organization issued a report in 2018 estimating approximately 40,000 deaths annually due to road accidents in Nigeria.
The country is grappling with a significant cost-of-living crisis exacerbated by the removal of a national fuel subsidy in May 2023, which has resulted in soaring fuel prices. In 2022, fuel subsidies accounted for about 40% of Nigeria’s total revenue.
Moreover, economists have pointed out that Nigeria is currently enduring its most severe economic crisis in decades, further aggravated by a second sharp increase in fuel prices just last week.
President Bola Tinubu, who was elected last year, campaigned on promises to revitalize the economy and draw in foreign investments.
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