In a tragic incident in north-central Nigeria, the death toll from a gasoline tanker explosion has climbed to 86, according to the country’s emergency response agency. The explosion occurred early on Saturday near the Suleja area of Niger state, following attempts by individuals to transfer gasoline from a crashed tanker into another truck, using a generator. This transfer ignited a massive explosion that claimed the lives of those involved as well as bystanders, as reported by AP News and CNN.

Hussaini Isah of the National Emergency Management Agency indicated that an additional 55 people are injured and currently receiving treatment in three hospitals in the Suleja region. The extent of the tragedy was emphasized by Isah, who noted, “There were people that were burnt to ashes. How can we get that figure?” He suggested that the actual death toll might exceed 86, stating that “we won’t know the exact figure without forensics.”

The incident was exacerbated by the presence of a large crowd at the site, which included onlookers taking pictures and individuals attempting to collect gasoline for personal use or resale. The increasing gasoline prices across Nigeria come in the wake of President Bola Tinubu's decision to remove subsidies on the product over a year ago, a move intended to redirect funds to developmental initiatives but has resulted in significant economic strain for many citizens. Such practices of collecting fuel from fallen tankers have unfortunately become all too common in Nigeria.