A mass burial was held on Sunday for 48 victims of a deadly petrol tanker explosion in Niger State’s Agaie Local Government Area.
The fatal accident occurred early Sunday when a petrol tanker collided with a truck transporting travelers and cattle from Wudil, Kano State.
Abdullahi Baba-Arab, the Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), confirmed the decision for a mass burial, explaining that the victims’ bodies were burned beyond recognition.
“Due to the severe burns, the bodies of all 48 victims were unidentifiable, prompting the mass burial,” Baba-Arab stated.
Initially, the death toll was reported at 30, but Baba-Arab later revealed that additional search and rescue efforts uncovered 18 more bodies, raising the total to 48.
The explosion occurred at approximately 12:30 a.m. along the Lapai-Agaie road, just 2 kilometers from Dendo community.
The fire not only claimed human lives but also killed over 50 cattle and destroyed a crane truck and a pickup van.
