Islam Times - Fuel Tanker Collision in Nigeria Kills at Least 48

Islam Times - A fuel tanker collided with another truck in north-central Nigeria on Sunday, triggering an explosion that killed at least 48 people and burned numerous cattle, officials reported.

A devastating head-on collision between a fuel tanker and another truck in the Agaie area of Niger state, Nigeria, led to a deadly explosion on Sunday.

According to the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), the incident resulted in at least 48 deaths, while 50 cattle being transported in the tanker were also killed in the blaze.

Abdullahi Baba-Arab, Director-General of NSEMA, initially reported that 30 bodies had been recovered but later confirmed an additional 18 victims, bringing the death toll to 48. He added that all the victims had been buried in a mass grave.

Search and rescue operations are still ongoing at the site of the tragedy, Baba-Arab said.

Mohammed Bago, the governor of Niger state, urged residents to remain calm and advised road users to "exercise caution and adhere to traffic regulations to protect lives and property."

The accident underscores the high frequency of fatal crashes on Nigeria’s roads, where a lack of rail infrastructure forces heavy reliance on trucks for cargo transport.

In 2020, Nigeria’s Federal Road Safety Corps recorded 1,531 fuel tanker accidents, resulting in 535 deaths and 1,142 injuries across the country.