The Niger State Emergency Management Authority (NSEMA) has confirmed that 42 people lost their lives and 52 others sustained varying degrees of injuries in the tragic tanker explosion that occurred on Tuesday in the state.

Speaking on Arise Television on Wednesday, NSEMA Director General, Abdullahi Baba Arah, said the explosion was caused by a tanker accident resulting from the poor condition of the road.

“The bad condition of the road is the major cause of the fallen tanker that led to the explosion,” Arah stated.

He explained that after the tanker fell and spilled its contents, nearby residents trooped to the scene to scoop fuel, but a sudden ignition led to a massive fire outbreak, consuming dozens of people.

“Because of the bad road, the tanker fell. Villagers came out in their numbers to scoop the fuel, but the high temperature ignited the fire, and unfortunately, many were trapped in the inferno,” he added.

Emergency responders, including personnel from NSEMA, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), and the Niger State Fire Service, were deployed to the scene to rescue survivors and evacuate the victims.

Authorities have since urged the public to desist from scooping fuel from accident scenes to prevent a recurrence of such devastating incidents.

The Niger State Government is expected to conduct further investigations into the cause of the accident and assess the level of infrastructural damage in the affected area.