At least 90 people have been confirmed dead following a tragic petrol tanker explosion in Majiya, Taura Local Government Area, Jigawa State, on Tuesday night.
The incident was confirmed by Mr. Shi’isu Adam, the Police Public Relations Officer in Jigawa, during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Wednesday. He revealed that another 50 individuals were hospitalized with varying degrees of injuries from the explosion.
According to Adam, the accident occurred around 11:30 p.m. when a petrol tanker lost control near Khadija University in Majiya and exploded. “The driver, who was heading from Kano to Nguru in Yobe, lost control, leading to the explosion,” he said.
He expressed concern that despite repeated warnings from authorities for people to avoid accident scenes involving fuel tankers, crowds still gather at such sites. “The mass casualty was due to people gathering around the scene after the accident,” Adam explained.
A mass burial for the victims has been scheduled for 9 a.m. on Wednesday, while those injured are currently receiving treatment at Ringim General Hospital.
