A fuel tanker explosion in Niger State on Tuesday evening resulted in the deaths of seven people, with one person injured and extensive damage to farmland.
The incident happened around 6:30 p.m. in Karamin Rami village, Mashegu Local Government Area. According to reports, the tanker was navigating a poorly maintained road when it overturned, causing fuel to spill onto the road and into a nearby stream where farmers were working.
The victims were identified as Rafiatu Sahabi, Ramlat Shehu, Rashida Abdullahi, Raliya Abdulrahman, Zainab Ahmed, Zuwaira Idrisu, and Maryam A. Nura. Another individual, Maimuna Isah, suffered injuries and is receiving medical care at Saho Rami Primary Health Care Centre.
Eyewitnesses reported that the spilled fuel reached a water pump being used by the farmers, sparking a fire that traveled back to the overturned tanker, leading to a massive explosion. The fire then spread through the contaminated stream, destroying farmland, crops, and fruit trees.
The Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Abdullahi Baba-Arah, confirmed the incident, stating that emergency response teams were at the scene assessing the situation.
“NSEMA received reports of a tanker explosion in Karamin Rami village on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, at approximately 6:30 p.m. The explosion occurred after a tanker overturned due to bad road conditions, spilling fuel into a nearby stream where farmers were working. The fuel ignited upon contact with a water pump, causing a fire that spread to the tanker and later to the surrounding farmland,” Baba-Arah said.
Authorities have confirmed the casualties and assured that response efforts are underway to address the damage caused by the explosion.
