Following the tragic tanker explosion that claimed 42 lives in Ezza village, Katcha Local Government Area of Niger State, the state governor, Mohammed Bago, has donated ₦1 million each to the families of the victims.
Bago also donated ₦500,000 to each of the hospitalized victims who suffered severe burns after the tanker, loaded with Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), overturned on a dilapidated section of the Katcha–Agaie Road, resulting in a massive blaze.
The governor’s intervention is aimed at easing the pain of those who lost loved ones and helping survivors rebuild their lives after the devastating incident.
He said the gesture was part of his administration’s commitment to supporting citizens in times of crisis and reaffirmed the government’s resolve to prevent such tragedies in the future.
The announcement was made during his condolence visit to the Essa community, where the incident occurred after locals attempted to scoop fuel from the fallen tanker before it went ablaze.
According to the Director-General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Abdullahi Arah, preliminary findings linked the explosion to the poor condition of the road and high temperatures, which may have triggered the ignition.
“As of the last count, 42 people have died, while 52 sustained varying degrees of injuries,” Arah said in a media interview.
Governor Bago, visibly moved by the scale of the disaster, described the act of scooping petrol from fallen tankers as reckless and criminal.
“It is a terrible thing that a truck will fall and people will carry containers to scoop fuel. It is theft and must be addressed as such. We can’t encourage it,” he warned.
The governor also offered prayers for the deceased and the injured, calling on residents to act responsibly during emergencies.
“We came to commiserate with them over the loss of lives and to appeal to their conscience. Lives are more valuable than any quantity of fuel,” he added.
In addition to the financial relief, Bago disclosed plans to construct a new primary healthcare centre in the Essa community to provide improved medical services for residents.
He also revealed that business magnate Aliko Dangote had pledged to repair the dilapidated Mokwa–Lambata Road — a move expected to reduce future road-related disasters.
The Niger State Government reiterated its commitment to improving infrastructure and strengthening emergency response systems to safeguard lives and property across the state.
