A devastating explosion killed at least 147 people in northern Nigeria after a crowd gathered to collect fuel spilling from a crashed tanker, officials told AFP on Wednesday.
The incident is the latest in a series of such accidents as Nigeria grapples with an economic crisis that has made fuel increasingly valuable. The tanker had swerved to avoid another vehicle before crashing in the town of Majiya, Jigawa state, on Tuesday evening, according to police reports.
Following the crash, locals rushed to the scene to collect the leaking fuel. Sanusi Lawan, a 21-year-old student, recounted hearing “shouts of joy” and joining the crowd with a bucket to gather fuel. After taking his bucket home, his brother advised him not to return for more. Moments later, they heard a massive explosion and screams. “We rushed to the place, and it was horrifying,” Lawan told AFP. “People were running while on fire, screaming for help.”
He expressed relief at having listened to his brother’s warning, saying, “Had I not listened to my brother, I would have been among the dead.”
The national emergency agency confirmed that 147 people had died in the explosion. Hambali Zarga, the local government chairman, noted that the figure represented only those buried in one mass grave and warned that the death toll could increase. He also stated that dozens of victims were “burnt beyond recognition” and that more bodies had been buried elsewhere.
In addition, around 140 injured residents were being treated in local hospitals. The Nigerian Medical Association called on doctors to assist with the overwhelming number of patients, while lawmakers in the capital, Abuja, observed a minute of silence in the Senate to honor thevictims.