The big picture:
The incident occurred on Tuesday when a fuel tanker overturned on a motorway linking Bida and Agaie in Niger State.
Emergency services reported that the tanker had begun leaking fuel, prompting locals to attempt to collect the spill. The truck subsequently exploded, leading to the casualties.
Ibrahim Hussaini, a local emergency coordinator, confirmed the death toll and noted that 42 people were injured.
Key points:
• Tanker truck accidents are frequent in Nigeria, largely due to poorly maintained roads and the dangerous practice of siphoning fuel after such incidents.
• President Bola Tinubu's recent economic reforms, including the removal of fuel subsidies and currency controls, have exacerbated a cost-of-living crisis, pushing residents to take perilous risks for petrol.
• Previous incidents include a March accident near Abuja that killed 10 people and a January crash in Niger State that claimed 98 lives when people gathered to collect spilled fuel.
What is next:
Following the January tragedy, President Tinubu initiated a national campaign aimed at raising awareness about the dangers and environmental risks associated with collecting fuel from overturned tankers.
Go deeper:
Feul Tanker Blast in Nigeria Kills 90 People
150 Dead, Over 200 Injured After Oil Tanker Explosion in Northwestern Nigeria
Fuel tanker blast kills dozens in Nigeria
Hossein Amiri - ahmad shirzadian
