“Few Minutes After We Passed”: Shehu Sani Narrates How He Escaped Niger Tanker Explosion

“Few Minutes After We Passed”: Shehu Sani Narrates How He Escaped Niger Tanker Explosion

  • Senator Shehu Sani has narrated how he escaped the petrol tanker explosion that killed over 80 people in Niger state
  • The former Kaduna Central Senator said the tragic incident occurred a few minutes after he and some other persons passed the Dikko junction
  • According to Sani, he passed the road on his way to a wedding ceremony in Minna on Saturday, January 18

Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 7 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international events

Niger state - Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, said the petrol tanker explosion that killed over 80 people happened a few minutes after he and some other persons passed the Dikko junction in Niger state.

Legit.ng recalls that a fuel tanker exploded after flipping over in Niger state on Saturday, January 18, killing 70 people who had scrambled to take the fuel.

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Shehu Sani reacts as tanker explosion kills over 80 in Niger
Shehu Sani said Lessons were never learned from the one that happened in Jigawa Photo credit: Shehu Sani
Source: Facebook

Top FRSC official, Kumar Tsukwam, disclosed that a truck carrying 60,000 litres of gasoline had an accident at about 10 am at the Dikko junction on the road linking Abuja to Kaduna state.

Sani said they passed the junction on their way to Minna for a wedding ceremony on Saturday, January 18, 2025.

He described the incident as a horrible tragedy.

The former federal lawmaker stated this via his X handle (formerly known as Twitter) @ShehuSani on Sunday, January 19.

He lamented that lessons were never learned from a similar incident that happened some months ago in Jigawa state.

Sani reminded Nigerians that a petrol tanker is not a water tanker.

“Few minutes after we passed the Dikko junction in Niger State, on our way to Minna for a wedding, a Tanker exploded, and over 80 people were roasted to death. A horrible tragedy. Lessons were never learned from the one that happened in Jigawa. A tanker of petrol is not a tanker of water. May their souls rest in peace, Amin.”

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Nigerians react to Niger tanker explosion

@simpleiykejnr

Most tankers and trucks carrying loads in Nigeria are not road worthy, but the agencies incharge are consumed in corruption.

@Enlight60143114

We were very lucky last year of similar occurrence along Asaba Benin express way due to bad road, if not for immediate interventions it would had been a disaster as it was a crowded area.

@Newfound2012

The sorry state of the road from Dikko junction to Lambata junction is to be blamed. Please what does it cost the Federal government to construct a good road around the Suleja depot. That road has been under construction like forever.

@XDOTCOM007

In civilized societies oil trucks have time frame within which they can transport hazardous stuff.
I guess we not as civilized as we claim to be.

@Y_Olorunkunmi

When people have to risk their life to scoop oil.. it shows nothing but the level of poverty in the country... how can someone who can easily feed himself/herself engaged in such act.

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@yyadirf_on_X

An incident like this is supposed to be a national tragedy but we are so used to losing people in this country such that when it happens, everyone just moves on. No serious investigation whatsoever from the concerned authority in order to forestall future occurrence.

105 die in fuel tanker explosion in Jigawa

Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that Jigawa state experienced a major tragedy as a fuel tanker exploded and killed no less than 105 people on Tuesday evening, October 15, 2024.

Shiisu Adam, the spokesperson of the state police command, disclosed that the tanker driver lost control while travelling from Kano to Yobe.

According to police authority, the incident happened when the people were trying to scoop the fuel from the tanker, and about 55 persons sustained a series of injuries from the explosion.

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Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Adekunle Dada avatar

Adekunle Dada (Politics and Current Affairs Editor) Adekunle Dada is a trained journalist with over 7 years of working experience. He is also a Politics/Current Affairs Editor at Legit.ng. He holds a B.Sc. in Mass Communication From Lagos State University, Ojo. Adekunle previously worked at PM News, The Sun, and Within Nigeria where he expressed his journalistic skills with well-researched articles and features. In 2024, Adekunle obtained a certificate in advanced digital reporting from the Google News Initiative. He can be reached via adekunle.dada@corp.legit.ng.