From Abel Leonard, Lafia
A petrol tanker explosion rocked A.A. Shafa Filling Station opposite UBA in Akwanga, Nasarawa State, on Saturday evening, April 13, at around 6:50 p.m., destroying nearby shops.
The blaze erupted during fuel offloading, with spilled fuel rapidly spreading flames to surrounding areas, according to eyewitnesses.
Musa Ahmed, a shop owner, recounted the driver’s heroism: “The driver, instead of running away, jumped into the truck already on fire and drove it out of the filling station to the main road before escaping. He saved lives and the entire filling station.” The tanker exploded on the road, igniting a massive fireball that consumed roadside shops.
No casualties were reported. Local responders initially battled the fire until a state fire service team from Lafia arrived around 7:30 p.m. to extinguish it. “The fire was massive. Without the tanker driver’s bravery, it would have been much worse,” an anonymous emergency responder said.
Affected shop owners, like Maryam Salihu, pleaded for government aid, stating, “This is our only source of livelihood. Everything is gone.” Authorities have yet to issue an official statement.