Tanker Explosion: 86 Victims of Fuel Scooping Buried After Tragic Incident

By Dansu Peter  A total of 86 victims of a tragic tanker explosion at Dikko Junction in Gurara Local Government Area, Niger State, have been...

By Dansu Peter 

A total of 86 victims of a tragic tanker explosion at Dikko Junction in Gurara Local Government Area, Niger State, have been recovered and buried.  

The Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Abdullahi Baba Arah, confirmed the development on Sunday. He disclosed that 80 victims were buried in a mass grave at the Dikko Primary Health Care premises, while five victims were claimed by relatives for private burial. One additional victim succumbed to injuries at the healthcare center.  

The explosion occurred when a tanker transporting fuel from Kaduna to Gwagwalada overturned at the junction, spilling its contents. Despite warnings to avoid the area, residents gathered to scoop fuel, leading to a devastating explosion that claimed lives, injured many, and destroyed properties worth millions of naira.  

The mass burial, conducted by NSEMA in collaboration with Gurara local government officials and volunteers, commenced at 5 p.m. and continued until midnight.  

Arah also revealed that 55 individuals sustained injuries in the incident and are currently receiving medical treatment.