Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago of Niger State has announced a donation of ₦1 million each to families of the deceased and ₦500,000 to injured survivors of the recent petrol tanker explosion in Essa, Katcha Local Government Area.
The governor made the pledge on Thursday during a condolence visit to the affected community, where he conducted an on-the-spot assessment of the devastation and met with local leaders and residents.
In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Bologi Ibrahim, Governor Bago expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives and prayed for the quick recovery of those receiving treatment in hospitals across Bida and Abuja.
The tragic incident, which occurred around 3:45 p.m. on Tuesday along the Bida–Badegi–Agaie road, claimed 42 lives and left 52 others injured, according to the Director-General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, Abdullahi Arah. He attributed the disaster to the poor condition of the road and the intense heat in the area, which triggered ignition as residents attempted to scoop petrol from the fallen tanker.
Governor Bago condemned the act of scooping fuel from accident scenes, describing it as both dangerous and criminal. “It is a terrible thing that a truck will fall and people of the community will carry containers to scoop fuel. It is theft and must be addressed as such. We cannot encourage it,” he warned.
While acknowledging that the poor state of roads contributed to the tragedy, Bago urged residents to act responsibly and assist in rescue efforts during such emergencies instead of endangering their lives.
He also disclosed that business mogul Aliko Dangote had pledged to repair the Mokwa–Lambata Road, with work expected to begin soon. The governor commended the gesture, describing it as a welcome development that would help reduce similar tragedies in the future.
Governor Bago’s visit and donation underscore the state government’s commitment to supporting victims of disasters and addressing the infrastructural and behavioral factors contributing to such preventable losses.
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