2025 Suleja fuel tanker explosion
{{Short description|Fuel tanker explosion in Nigeria}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox event
| title = 2025 Suleja fuel tanker explosion
| image =
| caption =
| map = {{Infobox mapframe|wikidata=yes|zoom=9|coord={{WikidataCoord|display=i}}}}
| date = {{start date|2025|01|18|df=y}}
| time = ~9:00{{nbsp}}a.m.
| timezone = UTC Offset +01:00
| duration =
| venue =
| location = near Suleja, Niger State, Nigeria
| coordinates = {{Wikidatacoord|Q131819754|type:event|display=inline,title}}
| type = Tank truck explosion
| cause = Petrol explosion and fire
| reported deaths = ≥100
| reported injuries = ≥69
| reported property damage = Millions of naira (estimated)
| displaced =
}}
On 18 January 2025, a fuel tanker carrying roughly 60,000 liters of petrol overturned at the Dikko junction near Suleja, Niger State, northern Nigeria, where after crashing local residents gathered to collect spilled fuel. The fuel promptly caused an explosion which killed over 100 people and injured another 69, including at least 52 critically.{{Cite news |date=7 February 2025 |title=Niger fuel tanker fire victims get Remi Tinubu’s N100m donation |url=https://punchng.com/niger-fuel-tanker-fire-victims-get-remi-tinubus-n100m-donation/ |access-date=18 February 2025 |publisher=The Punch |language=en}}
Explosion
The explosion took place around 9:00{{nbsp}}a.m. WAT at the Dikko junction along the major highway connecting Nigeria's federal capital of Abuja to Kaduna. According to the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Niger State leader Kumar Tsukwam, the incident began when a tanker truck carrying gasoline overturned, spilling its contents. Local residents including children who had gathered to collect the spilled fuel were caught in the subsequent explosion, which caused another tanker to explode. The Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) reported that the explosion occurred when spilled gasoline contacted a generator being used to facilitate the fuel transfer process.{{Cite web |last=Adeniyi |first=Kabir |date=18 January 2025 |title=60 killed in Nigeria's petrol tanker blast |url=https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/60-killed-in-nigerias-petrol-tanker-blast/3454836 |access-date=18 January 2025 |website=www.aa.com.tr}}{{Cite web |date=18 January 2025 |title=Fuel tanker truck explosion kills at least 70 people in Nigeria |url=https://english.alarabiya.net/News/world/2025/01/18/fuel-tanker-truck-explosion-kills-at-least-60-people-in-nigeria |access-date=18 January 2025 |website=Al Arabiya English |language=en}}{{Cite web |title='Heartbreaking': More than 60 killed in Nigeria tanker explosion |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/1/18/heartbreaking-more-than-60-killed-in-nigeria-tanker-explosion |access-date=18 January 2025 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en}} The explosion burned and destroyed at least 20 nearby shops.{{Cite news |date=20 January 2025 |title=Niger Tanker Explosion: Death Toll Hits 98, 69 Injured, 20 Shops Burnt |url=https://www.channelstv.com/2025/01/20/diko-tanker-explosion-death-toll-hits-98-69-injured-20-shops-burnt/ |access-date=20 January 2025 |publisher=Channels Television |language=en}}
Victims
The Federal Road Safety Corps confirmed that over 100 bodies of residents were recovered from the scene and buried, with most victims burned beyond recognition.{{Cite news |date=19 January 2025 |title=Death toll in Nigeria tanker truck blast rises to 86 |url=https://uk.news.yahoo.com/death-toll-nigeria-tanker-truck-143237108.html |access-date=19 January 2025 |publisher=Radio France Internationale |language=en}} About 69 injured people were rushed to various nearby hospitals to receive urgent medical attention.{{Cite news |date=18 January 2025 |title=More Than 77 Persons Dead, 55 Hospitalised In Niger State Tanker Explosion |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdDJrZDc0L8 |access-date=18 January 2025 |publisher=TVC News |language=en}} Many of the victims were reportedly attempting to collect spilled fuel from the tanker at the time of the explosion. Governor of Niger State Umaru Bago reported that an undisclosed number of additional victims suffered various degrees of burns. The explosion and subsequent fire caused extensive property damage, with losses estimated in the millions of naira.
Reactions
Bago described the disaster as "worrisome, heartbreaking, and unfortunate". The Nigeria Governors’ Forum gave its condolences to the victims' families, offered prayers for those killed in the disaster, and urged all Nigerians to behave "with extreme caution and absolute respect for life at all times" in similarly dangerous situations.{{Cite web |last=Ajisafe |first=Olayiwola |date=18 January 2025 |title=NGF condoles Niger gov, fuel tanker explosion victims |url=https://punchng.com/ngf-condoles-niger-gov-fuel-tanker-explosion-victims/ |access-date=18 January 2025 |website=Punch Newspapers |language=en-US}}
Nigeria's first lady Remi Tinubu donated 100 million Nigerian naira and other expenses including food to families of the victims.
The Niger State Emergency Management Agency, under Director General Abdullahi Baba-Arah, conducted initial investigations into the cause of the explosion.