A fuel tanker explosion in northern Nigeria has killed more than 170 people, with a further 70 receiving intensive care in hospital, police said on Friday.
A blast tore through crowds who had rushed to collect fuel spilling from a crashed tanker in the town of Majiya in Jigawa state late on Tuesday.
“At the Federal Medical Centers in Azare, Nguru, and Birnin Kudu, 70 people were receiving intensive care,” said spokesman Deputy Superintendent of Police Lawan Shiisu Adam in a statement, with the death count rising to 170.
Other hospitals were also treating victims for injuries, he added.
The tragedy is the latest such accident in Nigeria at a time when petrol has become a precious commodity in Africa’s most populous country, which is suffering its worst economic crisis in a generation.
Many are struggling to get access to gasoline, as its price has spiked more than fivefold since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu took office in May 2023.
Inflation has been peaking at more than 30 percent for months, reaching an almost three-decade high of 34.19 percent in June, down to 32.7 percent in September.
More than half — 56 percent — of Nigerians are living under the poverty line, up from 40 percent in 2018, according to a World Bank report published Thursday.
At least 59 people died last month when a fuel tanker collided with a truck carrying passengers and cattle in northwestern Niger state.
Fuel tanker explosions are common in Africa’s most populous nation, where roads can be poorly maintained and residents often look to siphon off fuel following accidents.
The price of petrol has soared fivefold since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu scrapped subsidies last year, and there are often shortages.
Desperation rose further last week after the state oil company hiked prices for the second time in just over a month.
Dangerous roads
Accidents involving tankers are frequent in the country, with the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) recording 1,531 in 2020, causing 535 deaths.
Last month, at least 59 people died when a fuel tanker collided with a truck carrying passengers and cattle in northwestern Niger state.
The FRSC said more than 5,000 people died in road accidents in Nigeria in 2023, compared to nearly 6,500 the previous year.
But according to the World Health Organization, the figures do not include accidents that are not reported to the authorities.
It estimates annual road accident deaths in Nigeria to be closer to 40,000, it said in a report published last year.
Deadly fires and explosions also take place across fuel and oil infrastructure in Nigeria, one of the continent’s largest crude producers.
