NIGER TANKER EXPLOSION: DEATH TOLL RISES TO 86, 55 INJURED
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The death toll from the petrol tanker explosion at Dikko Junction in Niger State on Saturday has risen to 86, with 55 people injured and hospitalized.
Initially, the casualties were reported as 70 deaths and 50 injuries, but additional bodies have since been recovered. All the deceased have been given a mass burial in Dikko, Niger State.
This was revealed in a statement on Sunday by the Director-General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, Abdullahi Baba-Arah.
According to him, the agency, alongside Gurara Local Government Area and brave, kind-hearted volunteers, conducted the mass burial between 5 pm and midnight.
“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.
On Saturday morning, a speeding fuel tanker crashed at Dikko Junction, located between Niger and Kaduna states.
Some residents were attempting to scoop fuel spilling onto the tarred road from the tanker when it exploded in a massive blaze. The explosion claimed the lives of both those collecting fuel and others who rushed to rescue them.
In response to the tragedy, Niger State Governor Mohammed Umar Bago visited the scene on Saturday and announced a ban on vehicles coming from the Maje axis from crossing the Dikko Bridge.
While inspecting the site of the tanker explosion at Dikko Junction in Gurara Local Government Area, Governor Bago condemned the recklessness of some drivers.
He declared it unacceptable for vehicles from Maje to use the bridge, directing them instead to take the underpass and follow the designated U-turn route.
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.
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