Barely a week after a tragic fuel tanker explosion claimed over 100 lives in Niger State, another tanker carrying 40,000 litres of fuel has crashed along the Agaie-Lapai Road.
Eyewitness Abdul reported that the incident occurred on Monday evening when the tanker suffered a tyre burst, causing the driver to lose control. The vehicle veered into a nearby drainage, leading to a fuel spill and subsequent explosion. Fortunately, no lives were lost in the incident.
The driver and his motorboy sustained injuries and were immediately rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment.
Read Also:
Tanker Explosions: JNI Urges FG To Review Safety Protocols Guiding Fuel Transportation
Confirming the incident, Wasiu Abiodun, spokesman for the Niger State Police Command, said the road was temporarily closed to ensure public safety and manage the situation.
“On 27/1/2025, at about 6:30 PM, there was a lone fuel tanker accident with a fire explosion along Agaie-Lapai Road. The fuel tanker with registration number DKA 03 A, driven by Shamsudeen Dayabu of Matazu LGA, Katsina State, was in transit from Lagos to Kaduna and loaded with about 40,000 litres of PMS.
“On reaching the Kusogbogi area of Agaie, the tanker lost control due to a burst front tyre and fell into a drainage. As a result, the tanker caught fire, injuring both the driver and the motorboy. They were taken to a nearby hospital.
“No life was lost during the incident. The road was temporarily closed but normalcy was later restored,” Abiodun stated.
This latest incident comes just days after a devastating tanker explosion in Dikko, Gurara Local Government Area, claimed over 100 lives. In that tragedy, residents had rushed to scoop fuel from the spilled tanker before it exploded.
Following the Dikko incident, Niger State Governor Mohammed Bago announced measures aimed at reducing tanker accidents in the state.
