Over 140 killed in Nigeria as overturned fuel tanker explodes
Jigawa, Nigeria: In an incident reported from Majiya town, Jigawa State, on Wednesday, October 16, 2024, over 140 people, including children, lost their lives after a fuel tanker overturned and exploded. The incident occurred as residents rushed to collect fuel leaking from the truck before it erupted in flames. Dozens more sustained severe injuries, with many victims burned beyond recognition, according to emergency officials.
The tanker accident, one of many such incidents in Nigeria, highlights the dangerous reality faced by residents grappling with rising fuel prices and poor infrastructure. Desperate to gather fuel, locals took a fatal risk as they approached the overturned tanker. Since the Nigerian government ended fuel subsidies last year, the cost of fuel has tripled, pushing many into situations where scavenging becomes a dangerous necessity.
The explosion occurred shortly after midnight when the tanker’s driver lost control of the vehicle on a highway, police spokesperson Lawan Adam said. The subsequent fire spread quickly, trapping several people at the scene. "People were running in all directions, screaming for help," recounted Sani Umar, a resident who witnessed the disaster, speaking to local Channels Television.
Emergency response teams arrived at the scene but were met with a grim aftermath. Nura Abdullahi, the regional head of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), reported that nearly 140 victims were buried in a mass grave due to the extent of the burns, while others were interred separately. Many victims were unidentifiable because of the severity of the burns.
Dr. Haruna Mairiga, head of Jigawa emergency services, expressed sorrow over the tragic loss of life. "If they had known the danger, they wouldn’t have gone to fetch the fuel," he said, adding that most victims died instantly as the fire quickly engulfed the area.
Fuel tanker explosions are not uncommon in Nigeria. According to Nigeria’s Federal Road Safety Corps, over 1,500 such accidents were recorded in 2020, leading to 535 deaths. Experts blame weak enforcement of traffic and safety regulations, along with poorly maintained fuel tankers that are prone to spillage during accidents.
Timothy Iwuagwu, president of the Institute of Safety Professionals of Nigeria, criticized the country's lack of public safety awareness and enforcement. “There are not enough awareness campaigns, and compliance with safety measures is often ignored,” Iwuagwu said, calling for stronger action to prevent further tragedies.
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Bypolls: K'taka Cong Minority Abdul Jabbar chief resigns amid allegations of 'internal conspiracy'
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Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Congress Minority Department President K Abdul Jabbar announced his resignation from the post on Saturday, a day after a group of Muslim leaders accused members of their own party of "conspiring" to defeat the official candidate in Davanagere South.
Jabbar, an MLC, was an aspirant for the Congress ticket from the Davanagere South Assembly segment.
"It has been an honor for me to serve as Chairman of the KPCC Minority department and have worked to the best of my ability during assembly elections 2023 and followed by Parliament polls and many such occasions whenever the party needed the minority department and showed results. I have toured the entire state of Karnataka and worked to align the minorities with Congress values and principles. Most of it is available in the public domain," Jabbar has said in a letter to the party.
"Minority voters and minority office bearers are the backbone of our great Congress party and certainly deserve better," he said.
Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, who is also the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President, confirmed Jabbar's resignation.
"I won't speak about this now, I have got some reports. The Minority President has submitted his resignation. I will verify things, I will seek a report from local leaders after that I will speak," he told reporters in response to a question on internal conspiracy.
A rift within the Karnataka Congress surfaced on Friday, a day after the bypolls to two Assembly constituencies in the state, as a group of Muslim leaders alleged a "conspiracy" by some of their own senior party leaders to defeat the official candidate in Davanagere South.
However, they asserted that despite efforts by some within to project that Congress "betrayed" Muslims, the party candidate Samarth Mallikarjun will win in Davanagere South, the constituency where the community has a significant presence.
They said the party finally named Samarth Mallikarjun as the candidate after considering all factors and taking all Muslim leaders into confidence. Despite this, a massive campaign, including from some within the party, projected the Congress as having "betrayed" the minorities by denying them tickets.
Chief Whip in the Legislative Council Saleem Ahmed, MLAs Rizwan Arshad, Yasir Ahmed Khan Pathan, MLC Bilkis Bano, and other Congress leaders addressed a joint press conference on Friday, claiming an "internal conspiracy".
According to party sources, these Muslim leaders have also complained to AICC and state party leadership, alleging "internal sabotage" in Davanagere South.
Though the leaders did not name anyone, several party sources said their attack was directed at State Housing Minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan and Jabbar among others.
Khan, who had openly demanded the Davanagere South ticket for a Muslim candidate, initially stayed away from campaigning in the constituency, citing his Kerala poll responsibilities.
However, he addressed a press meet with Samarth's father and Minister SS Mallikarjun at the request of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
Jabbar too had not actively participated in the campaigning, despite hailing from Davanagere.
Bypolls for Davanagere South were held along with Bagalkot on Thursday. The election was necessitated following the death of sitting MLAs Shamanur Shivashankarappa and H Y Meti respectively. Samarth is the grandson of Shivashankarappa.
Muslim disgruntlement appears to be a concern for the Congress in Davanagere South. With 14 of the 25 candidates in the fray belonging to the community, there are apprehensions within the party about a split in votes, which could benefit the BJP.
Given its significant presence in the constituency, the Muslim community strongly demanded the Congress ticket for Davanagere South. Some party factions had opposed giving the ticket to the Shamanur family.
Although the Congress was successful in persuading rebel candidate Sadiq Pailwan to withdraw from the contest, he remained in the fray as the move came after the deadline for withdrawal of nominations.
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