By Ngozi Nwoke
No fewer than 555 persons have been killed in petrol tanker fire explosions across the country between January 2020 and January 2025.
The accidents, numbering about 80, also resulted in hundreds of persons being injured as well as buildings, vehicles, and other valuables worth millions being destroyed.
Available records show that in 2020, 18 tanker explosions occurred. The incidents took place at Kara, Ogun State on June 21; Azare, Bauchi, on June 27; Ologobo, Delta State on July 22; Kano on July 27; Mile 2, Lagos on August 7; Lambatta, Niger State on August 6; Irete, Imo State on August 14; Lokoja, Kogi State on September 23, Magboro, Ogun State on December 2, among other incidents in other states.
In the incidents, a total number of 161 people lost their lives.
In 2021, there were 19 tanker explosions, including the ones on January 19th in
Abeokuta, Ogun State; February 8th, Aguleri, Anambra State; April 18th, Agatu, Benue State; 16 June, Ajilete, Ogun State; May 22, Kano; June 22, Ogere, Ogun State; September 28, Omerelu, Rivers State; October 13, Mubi, Adamawa State; November 19, Ibadan, Oyo State; and other states, where a total number of 55 people perished.
There were 14 tanker explosions in 2022, beginning with the January 28th incident at Onitsha, Anambra State; February 18, Isara, Ogun State; March 28, Lekki, Lagos State; April 22, Alagbado, Lagos State; November 11, Ofu, Kogi State; November 15, Awka, Anambra State; December 22, Aba, Abia State; September 3, Lambe, Ogun State and other states killing a total number of 76 people.
Also, in 2023, 13 tanker explosions were recorded. They occurred on October 1, Koko, Delta State; October 12 at Iganmu, Lagos State; October 23, Jebba, Kwara State; October 12, Ijora, Lagos State; October 26, Rigasa, Kaduna State; November 28, Peke, Kwara State; December 29, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State; and other states, killing a total number of 118.
In 2024, 13 tanker explosions killed 85 persons following accidents that occurred on April 26, Eleme, Rivers State; April 27, Abeokuta, Ogun State; May 3, Ometan, Delta State; May 10, Ijesha, Lagos State; July 11, Kubwa, FCT and other states.
In January 2025 alone, there were about seven tanker explosions that occurred on January 5 at Agbor, Delta State; January 18 at Dikko-Maje, Niger State; and January 25 at Enugu State; and other states causing the deaths of about 119 people.