Again, Niger residents scoop oil after explosion kills 96 (Video)
Just two days after a devastating tanker explosion claimed the lives of over 90 people and left many more injured in Niger State, another truck-related incident occurred in Bida town on Monday.
In a widely circulated video, locals, mostly young people, were seen gathering around a broken-down truck. While some attempted to scoop the contents, others fled in different directions, likely to avoid any potential danger.
READ ALSO: Death toll reaches 98 in Niger tanker explosion
Yinusa Jiya, a local resident, told newsmen that despite the earlier explosion, people were not fearful, even though there were concerns that the truck may have been carrying petrol. Another eyewitness, Fatimah Mohammed, clarified that the tanker was actually carrying groundnut oil. She explained that the truck fell near the AYM Shafa filling station, and locals began scooping large amounts of oil spilling from the tanker.
This incident follows a deadly tanker explosion on Saturday, which occurred near Dikko Junction in Gurara Local Government Area of Niger State, where nearly 98 people lost their lives. The death toll has continued to rise as some of the injured victims succumbed to their injuries in hospitals.
In response, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu instructed the National Orientation Agency (NOA) to intensify public education campaigns against the dangerous practice of scooping fuel from fallen trucks. The Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) also expressed concern over the rising number of casualties and severe burns.
The Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) reported that 86 bodies were buried in a mass grave on Sunday, while several other injured individuals are receiving treatment for first-degree burns in hospitals.
Authorities have placed the blame for the tragic loss of life on the reckless actions of citizens, with reports indicating that the fire from the explosion was caused by people trying to scoop fuel.
Niger State has suffered multiple such incidents in recent years, including a tanker explosion in September 2024, which killed more than 50 travellers along the Agaie-Badeggi road.
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