According to the local government, a tanker truck explosion occurred in the Diko area of Niger State in northern Nigeria, killing at least 60 people and injuring many others.
Kumar Tsukwam, regional commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Niger State, said on Saturday that people were scrambling to clean up the spilled petrol after the truck overturned. "The tanker caught fire and engulfed another tanker," he said in a statement.
"Most of the victims were burned beyond recognition," Chukwam said. "We are on scene cleaning things up," he said, adding that firefighters had successfully extinguished the blaze.
Niger Governor Mohamed Bago confirmed the incident in a statement and said many people were believed to have died in the fire caused by the tanker explosion.
He described the incident as "worrying, heartbreaking and unfortunate".
Oil tanker accidents are common
Such accidents have become commonplace in Africa's largest oil producer, killing dozens of people as the country grapples with its worst cost-of-living crisis in a generation.
Petrol prices in Nigeria have soared more than 400% since President Bola Tinubu scrapped decades of subsidies after taking office in May 2023. This has resulted in many people risking their lives to recover fuel in tanker accidents.
In October 2024, an almost identical incident occurred in Jigawa State, also in northern Nigeria, killing more than 150 people.
About 100 people were also injured in that incident, with an increasing number of people approaching the overturned tanker, picking up the fuel and selling it on the black market. The authorities organized a large funeral and buried many of the victims together.
In September of the same year, another 59 people died when a tanker collided with a truck carrying passengers and cattle in Niger state.
Following the October incident, Nigerian President Tinubu reiterated the government's commitment to review and strengthen fuel transportation safety protocols. He also said police would step up measures to prevent further accidents, including increased patrols, stricter enforcement of safety regulations and other highway safety mechanisms.
Authorities are also working to combat oil theft and have improved security measures, including adding gunboats to key waterways.