Death toll from Nigeria's fuel tanker explosion reaches 181

The death toll from the fuel tanker explosion that rocked Jigawa State, Nigeria, last week has surged to 181, according to Governor Umar Namadi.

The tragic incident occurred on October 15 in Majia, a town in the Taura Local Government Area, also leaving 80 people hospitalized with various degrees of injuries, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

Governor Namadi disclosed that the explosion affected 210 families, with many suffering significant losses. "As of today, we have about 181 people who have died, around 80 people still in hospitals, and approximately 210 families affected," Namadi stated during a briefing after his meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Aso Rock Villa in Abuja.

Namadi explained that the meeting was arranged to inform the President, who was on a working visit to Europe at the time of the explosion, about the incident and the ongoing response efforts.

He reaffirmed the state government's commitment to supporting the victims, stressing that medical expenses for the injured are being covered and that relief measures have been introduced to aid the affected families.

In the wake of the disaster, a high-level committee has been formed to investigate the causes of the explosion and recommend steps to prevent similar accidents in the future.

The incident occurred when a petrol-laden truck en route from Kano to Nguru in Yobe State exploded in Majia, causing widespread destruction.

By Tamilla Hasanova