Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Abbas Tajudeen, has described as “tragic and unfortunate” the death and injury of nearly 50 people in a fuel tanker explosion in Niger State.
This was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Musa Krishi.
The incident reportedly occurred on Tuesday afternoon when a fuel tanker fell along the Bida–Agaie highway. The resulting fire claimed the lives of 31 people and left 17 others with varying degrees of burns, bringing the total affected to 48.
According to the Niger State Police Command, the explosion occurred after some residents of Essa village in Katcha Local Government Area attempted to scoop Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) from the fallen tanker.
Speaker Tajudeen expressed deep sorrow over the incident, describing it as both painful and worrisome. He emphasized that the tragedy could have been avoided and called for increased public awareness and education on safety and disaster response.
He commiserated with the families of the victims and extended his heartfelt condolences to the government and people of Niger State.
