Tragic Collision Claims Over 50 Lives in Niger State
In a devastating accident on Sunday, a catastrophic explosion left at least 52 individuals dead, caused by a collision between a fuel tanker and a truck, according to Niger’s emergency management officials.
The fuel tanker, transporting both fuel and livestock, was involved in the incident in Agaie, a locality in north-central Niger state. Abdullahi Baba-Arab, the director-general of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, reported that an estimated 50 cattle perished in the blaze.
Search and rescue efforts commenced promptly at the crash site, as responders worked tirelessly to uncover the aftermath of the tragedy, Baba-Arab confirmed.
Initially, officials reported discovering 30 deceased victims; however, another 22 bodies were later unearthed, victims who suffered horrific burns in the fiery wreck. Baba-Arab indicated that a mass burial was conducted for those who lost their lives.
Governor Mohammed Bago of Niger state appealed to local inhabitants, urging them to stay composed amid the chaos. He emphasized that all road users must “exercise caution and adhere to traffic regulations to protect both lives and property.”
The lack of a reliable railway system for cargo transport contributes to the prevalence of deadly truck accidents across Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation.
A stark statistic highlights this issue: in 2020, the country experienced 1,531 tanker accidents, culminating in 535 deaths and 1,142 injuries, per the Nigeria Federal Road Safety Corps.
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