Niger Govt Holds Mass Burial for 39 Tanker Explosion Victims

Niger holds mass burial for 39 tanker explosion victims.
₦10m medical supplies, cash aid provided to survivors.
Govt warns against scooping fuel, urges road repairs.

The Niger State Government has held a mass burial for 39 victims of the recent tanker explosion in Essan community, Katcha Local Government Area. The tragic incident left 60 others injured and plunged the community into deep mourning.

EDITOR’S PICKS

EKO HOT BLOG reports that in a statement issued on Thursday, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Mohammed Umar Bago, Bologi Ibrahim, said medical supplies worth ₦10 million had been provided to hospitals treating survivors. He explained that the government delegation, led by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Special Duties, Dr. Murtala Bagana, visited the explosion site to assess the situation and condole with victims’ families.

Ibrahim said some of the injured were receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Centre, Bida, and the General Hospitals in Bida and Agaie, while those with severe burns had been referred to the National Hospital, Abuja, and other tertiary health facilities. He added that the government also made cash donations to victims’ families.

The statement noted that a mass burial and prayer session were conducted in Katcha for the deceased, attended by community leaders, clerics, and government officials. Ibrahim said normalcy had been restored in the area, with security agencies maintaining order.

Warning against the dangerous act of scooping fuel from fallen tankers, the state government described the practice as a recurring tragedy that must stop.

It also appealed to the Federal Government to urgently rehabilitate the Jebba–Mokwa–Bida–Agaie–Lapai–Lambata road, noting that its deplorable state contributed to the accident.

Governor Bago assured residents that the state would continue to support victims’ families and strengthen safety measures to prevent future disasters.