A terrible tanker accident leaves 98 dead in Nigeria. The desperate population tried to recover fuel despite the risks, against a backdrop of acute economic crisis in the country. Authorities urge caution, but…
A human tragedy is shaking Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa. Last Saturday, the explosion of a tanker truck caused the death of 98 people according to a new report released by emergency services on Monday. The accident, which occurred in Niger State in the center of the country, also injured 69 people and destroyed around twenty shops.
The tragedy occurred around 10 a.m. at an intersection in the town of Dikko. A truck carrying 60,000 liters of gasoline overturned on the road. A crowd then gathered to try to recover the spilling fuel, despite the risks. That’s when the truck exploded, trapping dozens of people.
Desperate economic situation pushes people to take risks
This tragic accident highlights Nigeria’s critical economic situation. The country is going through a serious crisis, with galloping inflation exceeding 30% for a year. The reforms launched by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in power since May 2023, have worsened the difficulties of the population.
Among these measures is the end of fuel subsidies. As a result, gasoline prices increased fivefold in 18 months, becoming unaffordable for a large portion of Nigerians. Faced with this desperate situation, some people do not hesitate to take all risks to try to recover fuel, even during accidents.
A heavy human and material toll
The toll from this accident is particularly heavy. In addition to the 98 dead and 69 injured, there was significant material damage, with around twenty shops destroyed by the explosion and the fire that followed. A catastrophe which further increases the human toll of accidents of this type.
More than 265 people have lost their lives in similar accidents over the past five months.
Mohammed Idris, Nigerian Minister of Information
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Calls for caution and prevention
Faced with this situation, the Nigerian authorities are calling on the population to exercise great caution. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu stressed the “tragic and avoidable” nature of this accident. He ordered the launch of a national campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of fuel recovery.
We need to raise awareness among the public to avoid approaching when an accident like this occurs.
Mustapha Lamorde, representative of the oil sector regulatory authority (NMDPRA)
A message relayed by the governor of Niger State, Umaru Bago, who invited the population “to always be responsible and give priority to their security”. But in a context of acute economic and social crisis, these calls for caution seem insufficient to stem these repeated tragedies.
A humanitarian and economic emergency
Beyond accident prevention, the entire economic and humanitarian situation in Nigeria is in question. With more than 33 million Nigerians likely to suffer from hunger in 2025 according to an expert report, the country is facing a real emergency.
In this context, tragic accidents like that of Dikko appear as symptoms of a deep crisis. They reveal the desperation of a population driven to take all risks to survive. An untenable situation which calls for strong measures from the authorities to support the most vulnerable and revive the country’s economy.
But above all, it is a real collective awareness that seems necessary. As a rescuer on site underlined on condition of anonymity, “as long as the population is this desperate, it will be difficult to avoid these kinds of tragedies. Urgent action is needed to restore hope to Nigerians. » An immense challenge for this country of more than 210 million inhabitants, which must face this new tragedy as a dark reminder of the magnitude of the task to be accomplished.
