Fuel truck blast in Nigeria; death toll reaches 86

The death toll from a fuel truck explosion in Nigeria has risen to 86, according to the director-general of the regional emergency agency.

The incident occurred on Saturday in Dikko, Niger State, when a petrol truck overturned and exploded, killing people who had gathered to collect fuel from the wreckage.

Abdullahi Baba-Ara, the director-general of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, stated on Sunday that “80 victims have been buried in a mass grave at Dikko Prim Health Centre, 5 were taken away by relatives, and 1 died at the health centre.” An additional 55 people sustained injuries in the blast.

A similar tragedy occurred in October in Jigawa State, where 147 lives were lost in a fuel truck explosion.

The price of fuel in Nigeria has surged since 2023, following the removal of a fuel subsidy by President Bola Tinubu as part of his economic reform measures.