Tragedy struck on Saturday at Dikko Junction, Niger State, when a speeding fuel tanker crashed and exploded, killing 86 people and injuring 55 others. The death toll rose from 70 on Saturday, with more corpses recovered and given a mass burial in Dikko, Niger State.
According to the Director-General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, Abdullahi Baba-Arah, the agency conducted the mass burial in collaboration with Gurara Local Government Area and volunteers. The burial took place between 5 pm and midnight, with 80 bodies buried in a mass grave at Dikko Primary Healthcare Centre premises.
Five bodies were taken by relatives for burial in the town, while one person died at Dikko Primary Healthcare Centre. Baba-Arah stated that the number of injured now stands at 55, with one death recorded at Dikko PHC.
The fuel tanker explosion occurred when residents attempted to scoop fuel spilling onto the tarred road from the tanker. The blast killed both those collecting fuel and others trying to rescue them.
Niger State Governor Mohammed Umar Bago visited the scene of the explosion on Saturday and issued a ban on vehicles coming from the Maje axis from passing over the Dikko Bridge. The governor criticized the recklessness of some drivers, directing them to use the underpass and make the U-turn correctly.
The governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Bologi Ibrahim, confirmed the directive, stating that the Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps would establish a detachment in the area to enforce the directive. Relevant transport unions were also urged to cooperate with the Road Safety Corps.
Governor Bago expressed gratitude to NSEMA, the Fire Service, the Federal Road Safety Corps, and the Union of Road Transport Workers for their roles in evacuating the victims. He announced that doctors from Minna hospitals would be redeployed to assist in treating the injured victims at Suleja General Hospital.
The tragic incident has raised concerns about road safety and the need for caution when dealing with fuel tankers. The Niger State Government’s swift response to the disaster is commendable, and the ban on vehicles passing over the Dikko Bridge is a step in the right direction.
As the people of Niger State mourn the loss of lives, the government’s efforts to prevent such tragedies in the future are crucial. The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of road safety and the need for collective responsibility to prevent such disasters.
