In a tragic incident in northwestern Nigeria, over 150 people, including children, lost their lives and many others were injured after an overturned fuel tanker exploded on an expressway in Jigawa State. The crash led to chaos as people rushed to collect fuel from the vehicle, resulting in a massive inferno.
Deadly tanker accidents are a common occurrence in Nigeria, where the lack of an efficient railway system forces people to resort to risky methods of salvaging fuel. With fuel prices on the rise, the practice has become even more prevalent, despite the dangers involved.
The latest accident, which occurred in Majiya town, left most of the victims unrecognisable due to the severity of the burns. As mass burials were held for the victims, questions have arisen once again about the enforcement of safety measures and traffic regulations in the country.
In 2020 alone, there were over 1,500 accidents involving fuel tankers in Nigeria, resulting in 535 deaths. This tragic incident serves as a stark reminder of the need for stricter enforcement of safety protocols to prevent such devastating events in the future.