A fuel tanker explosion in Niger State has claimed the lives of at least 48 people after a collision with another vehicle on Sunday, according to an official statement.
“The death toll is 48,” the spokesperson for the Niger State governor confirmed in a statement to the media.
The explosion occurred when a petrol-laden tanker collided with a truck carrying cattle and merchants in the Agaei district of north-central Niger State, Abdullahi Baba Arah, head of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), said in a statement.
“Over 30 people are already confirmed dead, with over 50 cattle burnt alive,” he revealed.
Following the fuel tanker explosion, he added that the agency’s rapid response team (RRT) is conducting search and response operations at the scene.
Ibrahim Husseini, a spokesperson for the emergency agency, told Anadolu from the scene that the search operation was still underway as of Sunday evening.
Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago expressed his condolences, calling the incident unfortunate and extending his sympathy to the bereaved families and communities.