A fuel tanker explosion in Niger State’s Katcha district killed at least 30 people and injured more than 40 as residents tried to scoop spilled petrol.
At least 30 people were killed and more than 40 others injured on Tuesday October 21, 2025, after a fuel tanker exploded in central Nigeria’s Niger State, authorities and local witnesses said.
The incident occurred in the early hours along the Bida–Agaie highway, near Essan and Badeggi communities in Katcha Local Government Area. Eyewitnesses told reporters that residents had gathered to scoop petrol from an overturned tanker when it suddenly exploded, engulfing dozens in flames.
Several of the victims were burnt beyond recognition, according to local accounts. Those who survived sustained severe burns and other injuries and were rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment.
The tanker was reportedly transporting petroleum products from Lagos to northern Nigeria when it lost control and overturned. The cause of the accident is still under investigation.
Read Also: Niger: Gov Bago Overhauls State Entities, Ends Political Appointments
Farouk Mohammed Kawo, chairman of the Niger State branch of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Tanker Drivers Association, confirmed the explosion. He described the incident as one of the worst the state has witnessed in recent months.
Kawo also revealed that more than 30 tanker-related accidents have occurred along the same stretch of road since the beginning of October. “This has become a dangerous pattern,” he said, lamenting the community’s recurring practice of scooping fuel from accident scenes despite repeated warnings about the risks.
He cited a recent non-fatal accident involving a groundnut oil tanker that residents similarly rushed to empty, calling it a sign of the “urgent need for public awareness and safety enforcement.”
The union leader appealed to the Niger State government, led by Governor Mohammed Umar Bago, to rehabilitate the dilapidated road network in the area and implement stricter safety measures for petroleum transportation.
Efforts to reach the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Niger State for confirmation of the death toll and details of the investigation were unsuccessful as of press time.
Fuel tanker explosions are a recurring tragedy in Nigeria, where poor road conditions, reckless driving, and fuel scavenging often turn transport accidents into deadly infernos.
