The tragic explosion of a petrol tanker at Dikko Junction in Niger State on Saturday has claimed the lives of at least 86 people, with another 55 individuals injured and hospitalised.
Earlier reports had placed the death toll at 70, with 50 people wounded.
However, emergency response teams have since recovered more bodies, bringing the confirmed fatalities to 86. The remains were laid to rest in a mass burial ceremony conducted in Dikko, Niger State.
Abdullahi Baba-Arah, Director-General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), provided an update on the situation in a statement issued Sunday.
He confirmed that the agency, in collaboration with the Gurara Local Government Area and dedicated volunteers, organized the mass burial between 5 p.m. and midnight on Saturday, offering a solemn tribute to those lost in the devastating accident.
Authorities are continuing to assess the full scale of the disaster as recovery efforts persist.
“A total of 86 persons have been confirmed dead, with their corpses recovered and buried.
“Eighty of them were buried in a mass grave at Dikko Primary Healthcare Centre premises, while five were taken by their relatives for burial in the town, and one died at Dikko Primary Healthcare Centre.
“The mass burial was carried out by NSEMA in collaboration with Gurara LGA and courageous volunteers between the hours of 5pm and midnight.
“The number of injured now stands at 55, with one death recorded at Dikko PHC,” Baba-Arah stated.
A speeding fuel tanker crashed on Saturday morning at Dikko Junction, located between Niger and Kaduna states.
While some residents attempted to scoop fuel spilling onto the tarred road from the tanker, it exploded in a massive blaze. The explosion killed both those collecting fuel and others attempting to rescue them.
Meanwhile, Niger State Governor Mohammed Umar Bago visited the scene of the tragic explosion on Saturday and has issued a ban on vehicles coming from the Maje axis from passing over the Dikko Bridge.
The governor gave the directive while inspecting the scene of the tanker explosion at Dikko Junction, Gurara Local Government Area of Niger State.
Bago, decrying the recklessness of some drivers, stated that it was unacceptable for vehicles coming from Maje to use the bridge, directing them instead to follow the underpass and take the appropriate U-turn.
The governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Bologi Ibrahim, confirmed the directive in a statement on Sunday.
“Niger State Government has directed that no vehicle coming from the Maje axis should be allowed to pass over the Dikko Bridge.
“Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago issued this directive during his visit to the scene of the tanker explosion at Dikko Junction, Gurara LGA.
“The governor, who criticised the recklessness of certain drivers, said vehicles from Maje must use the underpass and make the U-turn correctly.
“He also urged the Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps to establish a detachment in the area to enforce the directive and called on all relevant transport unions to cooperate with the Road Safety Corps,” Ibrahim stated.
The governor expressed his gratitude to NSEMA, the Fire Service, the Federal Road Safety Corps, and the Union of Road Transport Workers, among others, for their roles in evacuating the victims.
He also announced that doctors from Minna hospitals would be redeployed to assist in treating the injured victims currently receiving care at Suleja General Hospital.
