How Scores of People Lost Their Lives in Jigawa Tanker Explosion

Facts have emerged over how Scores of people lost their lives in the fuel tanker explosion that rocked Jigawa state, North West Nigeria Tuesday night.

The explosion occurred in Majiya town, along the Hadejia Expressway in Taura Local Government Area of the state when the driver, who was conveying Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, also known as petrol, from Lagos to Nguru, neighbouring Yobe state, lost control while attempting to evade a bump at a high speed. The fully loaded truck ended in a heap, spilling its content.

Following the crash and spillage, people from nearby areas gathered to scoop the content, obviously unable to resist the temptation despite its dangerous volatility.

Not unexpectedly, the fuel ignited shortly afterwards, resulting in a huge explosion that sucked in everyone within reach. However, the driver, alongside his aide, escaped unhurt. 

Initial reports had it that about 140 people were instantly incinerated while about 90 others who sustained various degrees of injury were taken to nearby medical facilities, including the Khadeji hospital that was obviously overwhelmed.

But with more of the victims succumbing to the injuries they sustained, death is now said to be well over 170.

"The residents were scooping up fuel from the overturned tanker when the explosion occurred, sparking a massive inferno. "Close to 140 people were put in a mass grave apart from people buried in other places," head of the National Emergency Management Agency in the region, Nura Abdullahi, told newsmen while giving an earlier assessment of the situation.

Meanwhile, health officials, assisted by locals, have buried most of the victims in a mass grave in the outskirt of Majiya.