Mallam Surajo Muhammad Shehu has narrated how he lost his eight relatives in the petrol tanker explosion that occurred on Tuesday at Essa village, along the Agaie?Bida Road, in Katcha Local Government Area of Niger State.

At least 28 people, mostly women and children, lost their lives when the tanker exploded while the victims were scooping fuel from it. The incident occurred around 2pm after the tanker fell due to the deplorable condition of the road.

Among the victims was a nursing mother who died alongside her baby. Eyewitnesses said she fell face-down into the fire with her child strapped to her back, and both were heard screaming until they were consumed by the flames.

Some victims reportedly ran several meters with their clothes on fire before collapsing. Sources also said there is a possibility that more bodies may still be recovered from nearby bushes.

Shehu, struggling to hold back tears, told Daily Trust that Tuesday?s tanker explosion would remain unforgettable for the community.

He, however, blamed the tragedy on the failure of residents to heed the warnings of the village head, who had repeatedly cautioned against scooping fuel whenever a tanker falls.

He said, ?People in this area have turned fuel scooping into a business and a means of making quick money despite several warnings and sensitization efforts.

?Eight members of my immediate and extended family lost their lives, while 10 others are in critical condition at the Federal Medical Centre, Bida.

?Initially, we didn?t take my elder brother to the hospital because we thought we could manage his condition, but by Wednesday morning, his condition worsened, and we had to take him there on a motorcycle.

?My elder sister, Hawawu Dauda, was also among the victims. She has already been buried, while three of her daughters are currently receiving treatment at the hospital.

?Women were the major victims because when the tanker fell, most of the men had gone to the farm. It was mainly women who came out to scoop the fuel. Only a few men were involved.?

Shehu expressed frustration over the community?s persistent disregard for safety warnings.

?I can?t understand why people behave this way. Even after this tragedy, some would still scoop fuel again tomorrow.

?Our village head has been trying hard to sensitise people. Just on Monday, a tanker carrying engine oil fell, and many rushed out again to scoop it. If that one had exploded, the story would have been worse than this.

?As I speak, some people have not even finished selling the engine oil they collected on Monday. They often say they can?t let go of free money. It?s not ignorance?it?s poverty.

?The village head and even radio stations have repeatedly warned against it. The government should please help us fix this road,? he pleaded.

Shehu added that the recurring incidents of fuel scooping have also caused tension between residents of communities along the route and tanker drivers, who lament that instead of offering help when accidents occur, locals take advantage of the situation to steal their goods and fuel.

Death toll rises to 28

The Village Head of Essa, Alhaji Adamu Bagudu, has confirmed that the death toll from Tuesday?s petrol tanker explosion in Essa village, along the Agaie?Bida road in Katcha Local Government Area of Niger State, has risen to 28.

Bagudu, whose younger brother lost his two wives and two children in the tragedy, told Daily Trust at his residence that 24 of the victims were given a mass burial on Tuesday, while four others who died at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Bida, were buried on Wednesday morning.

He disclosed that over 90 percent of the victims were women, adding that some travellers were also caught in the inferno.

He said, ?Of the 28 people buried so far, only four were men; the remaining 24 were women. May this serve as a lesson to all of us.

?I have been sensitizing and educating my people about the dangers of scooping fuel for the past three years. I have cited several examples, including the one that happened in Dikko. Even the DPO of Katcha Police Division is aware of my efforts to discourage this dangerous habit.?

He recalled that on September 9, 2024, a similar tanker explosion occurred just a few kilometres from the village, killing 61 people, 54 cows, 17 goats, and burning seven motorcycles.

?I even invited some residents to the scene so they could see the devastation firsthand and warn others,? he added.

Speaking on Tuesday?s explosion, the village head said, ?We still have 34 people receiving treatment at the FMC, Bida. I believe this tragedy will serve as a lasting warning. We have buried 28 people ? 24 on Tuesday and four others who died today (Wednesday) at the hospital.

?Of these, 24 were women, while the remaining four were two men and two children. Some of the victims were travellers passing through, including two people on a motorcycle. Others were returning from their farms and had nothing to do with scooping fuel.?

Alhaji Bagudu appealed to the federal government to urgently reconstruct the Agaie?Bida road to prevent further loss of lives and property.

?This road is beyond repair; it needs total reconstruction. The poor condition of the road has caused many deaths. Pregnant women have died on the way to hospitals in Agaie and Bida because of the bad road.

?Sometimes passengers fall from trailers due to the rough terrain. We have buried over 150 travellers who died on this road because their families could not retrieve their bodies. When such cases occur, we seek permission from the police and authorities to bury them,? he said.

He added that the poor state of the road has also crippled economic activities in the area.

?We can?t move our farm produce to markets easily, and the worst section of the road is now between Bida and Agaie,? he said.

Similarly, the Chief Medical Director of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Bida, Dr. Abubakar Usman, said a total of 80 people were affected by the incident, including those who lost their lives.

He explained that while 28 victims have been buried, 17 others with severe burns were transferred to Abuja for advanced medical care, while eight were admitted at the Umaru Sanda General Hospital, Bida.

The Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Abdullahi Baba Arah, said the state government has assured victims of the tanker explosion of the necessary support and cautioned residents against approaching fallen tankers to scoop fuel.

Lingering feud between residents and tanker drivers

The latest incident occurred just four days after an engine oil-laden tanker fell a few meters away from the site of Tuesday?s explosion.

Residents told Daily Trust that on Sunday, another tanker carrying groundnut oil also fell in the same area.

Despite warnings from the driver, villagers trooped to the scene to scoop the spilled oil, leading to heated confrontation until the communities overpowered the driver.

Adamu Mohammed, a resident of one of the affected villages, confirmed that there has been a lingering feud between tanker drivers and residents over the theft of fuel each time a tanker crashes.

According to him, men and women involved in scooping fuel have made millions of naira from the illegal trade.

One of the victims of Tuesday?s disaster, a woman from Essa village, reportedly sold engine oil worth about N1 million, which she had scooped from a fallen tanker just four days before the explosion that claimed her life.

Residents said black marketers are the main buyers of the stolen fuel, adding that some locals have been living lavishly from the proceeds.

Tanker explosion distressing, painful ? Northern govs

The Northern States Governors? Forum (NSGF) has expressed deep sorrow over the incident and extended condolences to Governor Mohammed Umar Bago, the government, and people of Niger State.

NSGF Chairman and Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, in a statement, urged stronger enforcement of safety regulations in the storage and transportation of petroleum products, stressing the need for public awareness on the dangers of scooping fuel and handling combustible materials.

Governor Yahaya commended emergency responders and volunteers for their swift efforts in rescuing victims and providing relief, noting that their intervention mitigated the disaster?s impact.

Fix Niger road, Reps tell FG

The House of Representatives has called on the federal government to urgently rehabilitate the Bida?Agaie?Lapai?Lambata?Diko Road in Niger.

The call followed a motion by Saidu Musa Abdullahi, who represents Bida/Gbako/Katcha Federal Constituency.

Abdullahi lamented that the tragedy, which also destroyed vehicles, livestock, and goods worth millions of naira, was one of several fatal accidents that have occurred along the route in recent years due to its deplorable condition.

Adopting the motion, the House urged the Federal Ministry of Works and FERMA to mobilise contractors for the immediate rehabilitation and expansion of the road, particularly the Bida?Agaie section.

The lawmakers also directed the FRSC to enforce strict safety compliance for tankers and heavy-duty vehicles, and called on NEMA to provide relief materials and medical support to victims. (Daily Trust, but headline rejigged)

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