Faisal Salisu DambattaA petrol-laden tanker exploded on Monday evening at a filling station in Tungan-Bunu, Rijau Local Government Area of Niger State, destroying several houses and property worth millions of naira.
Witnesses said the tanker had just arrived to offload fuel when it suddenly caught fire, with the flames spreading rapidly to nearby residential buildings. Although no casualties were recorded, the incident triggered panic as residents fled their homes for safety.
In a separate incident earlier on Monday, another fuel tanker overturned along the Lapai–Agaie Road, resulting in a major traffic gridlock. The tanker, which was transporting Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) from Lagos to Gombe, reportedly detached from its head around 10:00 a.m., blocking the busy route.
A resident, Mallam Mahmud Abubakar, said security operatives promptly cordoned off the area, while firefighters were deployed to prevent a possible explosion.
The accident occurred at the Efu-Nda-Egbo axis of Lapai, worsening traffic congestion on the route.
Efforts to reach the Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Abdullahi Baba Arah, for comments were unsuccessful as calls to his phone were not answered.
