A tragic incident occurred in Karamin Rami village, Mashegu Local Government Area of Niger State, on March 4, 2025, at around 6:30 p.m.
A fuel-laden tanker, struggling to navigate a poorly maintained road without a shoulder, lost balance and overturned, spilling its highly flammable Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) into a nearby stream. The stream, used by dry-season farmers for irrigation, became the epicenter of a catastrophic chain reaction when the spilled fuel came into contact with an operating water pump.
The pump ignited the fuel, triggering a fierce fire that quickly spread to the tanker, causing a massive explosion. The flames then traveled along the contaminated stream, engulfing nearby rice fields and fruit plantations. Tragically, several farmers working in the fields were caught in the inferno. By the time the fire was extinguished, seven people had lost their lives, and one person was severely injured.
The victims have been identified as Rafiatu Sahabi, Ramlat Shehu, Rashida Abdullahi, Raliya Abdulrahman, Zainab Ahmed, Zuwaira Idrisu, and Maryam A. Nura. Maimuna Isah, the sole survivor, sustained serious injuries and is currently receiving treatment at Saho Rami Primary Health Care Center.
Abdullahi Baba-Arah, the Director-General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), confirmed the incident in an official statement, attributing it to the poor road conditions that forced the tanker driver to navigate dangerously, ultimately leading to the spill and subsequent explosion.
Emergency responders and local authorities have been deployed to assess the damage and provide support to the affected families. This tragedy underscores the urgent need for road rehabilitation in rural areas and improved safety measures for fuel transportation. Authorities are expected to launch further investigations into the incident and explore measures to prevent similar occurrences.
This development follows a similar tanker explosion in January, which resulted in multiple fatalities and injuries.
