Ninety-eight victims of Saturday’s devastating fuel tanker explosion in Dikko, Gurara Local Government Area of Niger State have been buried, according to the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA). The mass burial took place at the Dikko Primary Healthcare Centre, with most bodies interred in a single grave, while five were claimed by relatives for separate burials.
The explosion occurred after a fuel tanker overturned at Dikko Junction, a major junction linking Niger and Kaduna states. As residents attempted to collect spilled fuel, a fierce fire ignited, killing many of those trying to assist the victims, as well as passersby and local businesses in the vicinity.
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The heavily trafficked Abuja-Kaduna expressway, already in poor condition, has been blamed for contributing to the risk of such accidents. The situation is worsened as many drivers avoid the even more hazardous Kaduna-Birnin Gwari route.
In response, President Bola Tinubu and other Nigerian leaders urged citizens to exercise extreme caution at accident sites, particularly those involving fuel tankers. He has also instructed the National Orientation Agency to launch a campaign warning against the dangers of scooping fuel from damaged tankers.
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