Tanker explosion death toll rises to 167 in Jigawa

A total of 167 persons have so far lost their lives following Tuesday’s fuel tanker explosion in Majiya town in the Taura Local Government Area of Jigawa State.

The Jigawa State Governor, Umar Namadi, made the disclosure when the Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, paid him a condolence visit at the Government House Dutse on Thursday evening.

“As of Thursday evening, 167 lives had been lost in the fire disaster,” Namadi said.

He disclosed that no fewer than 67 people are currently receiving medical treatment at various medical facilities within and outside the state.

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The governor expressed deep gratitude on behalf of the people of Jigawa State and thanked Kano State for its generous support during this difficult time.

He assured that the N100 million donated by the Kano State Government would be judiciously used to aid the victims of the unfortunate incident and their families.

Many people, globally, have commiserated with the state government and families of the affected victims.

Also, a mass burial was held for the initial 147 victims who were said to have died while scooping fuel from the tanker wreckage.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau, on Thursday, said it had commenced an investigation into the petrol tanker explosion.

A statement from the agency read, “The team will assess the circumstances surrounding the crash and the explosion to identify causal factors and provide safety recommendations aimed at preventing future occurrences.

“We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families affected by this devastating accident. The NSIB is committed to uncovering the cause of the explosion and ensuring that safety lessons are learnt.”

Gong reported that the death toll as of Wednesday was 147.

The Chairman of Taura LGA, Shu’aibu Hambali, confirmed the latest causality figure on Wednesday evening while speaking live on a local radio station, Arewa Radio.