CITIZENS COMPASS – The death toll from the tanker explosion in Jigawa State has hit 167 just as Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, donated N100 million for the survivors and families of the victims.
Citizens Compass reported that the tanker explosion occurred on Wednesday in Majiya town, Taura Local Government, Jigawa State.
Initially, the death toll was 90 with 50 people hospitalised.
Recall that few hours after the incident, the deceased were given a mass burial.
However, the death toll has risen to 167 as at Friday afternoon.
Governor Yusuf made this announcement during a sympathy visit to Governor Umar Namadi of Jigawa State in Dutse.
Expressing his profound grief over the devastating event, Yusuf described the explosion as one of the greatest tragedies to befall Jigawa and Nigeria as a whole.
“On behalf of the government and good people of Kano state, I’m here to commiserate with you over this unfortunate and tragic fire incident that cost the lives and properties of innocent citizens of your state in Majiya town of Taura local government.
“It is unfortunate that the Jigawa government and indeed Nigeria lost over 100 lives of innocent citizens.
“The people of Kano and Jigawa are brothers and sisters, therefore, on behalf of the government and good people the state, I wish to announce a token donation of N100 million so that the government can take care of victims at hospital, as well as the families of those that departed,” Yusuf said.
Governor Namadi, in his response, expressed deep gratitude to Governor Yusuf and the people of Kano for their generosity and compassion. “On behalf of the government and the people of Jigawa, I want to thank you for this show of solidarity and brotherhood. Your support means a lot to us during this difficult time,” said Namadi.
The ill-fated event was caused by an overturned fuel tanker which exploded in northern Nigeria on Tuesday night, resulting in the deaths of at least 153 people who had gathered to collect leaking petrol. The explosion occurred in the town of Majia, Jigawa State, at approximately 23:30 local time, following the crash of the tanker, which had been en route from Kano to Nguru in Yobe State.
Authorities had cordoned off the site and warned the crowd to stay away from the area, but were unable to disperse the growing number of people before the explosion occurred. According to police spokesman Lawal Shiisu Adam, officers attempted to control the situation, but the crowd continued to approach the tanker, leading to the tragic outcome.
In addition to the fatalities, around 100 individuals were seriously injured and taken to nearby hospitals, with many in critical condition. The incident has prompted renewed concerns over safety measures and crowd control at accident scenes involving hazardous materials. The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has also launched an investigation into the cause of the tanker explosion.
In a statement, the NSIB Director of Public Affairs and Family Assistance, Mrs. Bimbo Oladeji, said the bureau is “aware of the tragic petrol tanker explosion” and is working to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the accident. The investigation aims to prevent similar incidents in the future by identifying any lapses in safety protocols related to the transport of hazardous materials.
