Daniel Atori 
…Niger Gov expresses shock, describes incident as worrisome
An unconfirmed number of persons including pregnant women and children have been burnt to death following a tanker explosion a few kilometres away from the Suleja Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) Deport in Niger State.
The incident which occured at Dikko junction, around the Abuja-Kaduna expressway occured when some residents rushed out to scoop fuel.
According to an eyewitness report, the explosion which claimed several lives was caused after a tanker heavily loaded with Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol tanker skidded off the road and some residents of the area went to scoop its contents.
Another eyewitness in a viral video said “The people were attempting to siphon fuel from the overturned tanker into their jerry cans and other containers when the explosion took place.
Another eyewitness disclosed that “some of them brought their generators to scoop fuel; the victims are many and nobody can ascertain the exact number of fatalities until the inferior is quenched”.
Amongst those burnt beyond recognition are pregnant women, little children and other unidentified persons.
Expressing his shock at the incessant explosion in that axis, the Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago described the incident as worrisome, heartbreaking and unfortunate.
In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Bologi Ibrahim, the Governor specifically sympathised with the families of the victims of the explosion and prayed that Allah would repose the souls of the departed and heal the injured.
While cautioning the people to always be responsible and give priority to their safety, he directed all the relevant Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to do what is necessary to ensure security in the area.
As at the time of filing this report, unconfirmed numbers were said to have been burnt to death, while several others sustained various degrees of burnt and rushed to the Suleja and Sabon Wuse General Hospitals respectively.
