Bago Donates ₦1m Each To Families Of Niger Tanker Explosion Victims

Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, has announced financial support for families affected by the tragic tanker explosion that claimed dozens of lives in Essa community, Katcha Local Government Area.

During a condolence visit to the area on Thursday, Governor Bago disclosed that the state government would give ₦1 million each to families of the deceased and ₦500,000 to those injured in the inferno. The governor, visibly emotional, led an on-the-spot assessment of the incident site and met with local leaders and residents to commiserate with them.

A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Bologi Ibrahim, confirmed the governor’s visit and outlined measures being put in place to support the affected families.

The explosion, which occurred on Tuesday along the Bida–Badegi–Agaie road, was triggered after residents reportedly rushed to scoop fuel from a fallen tanker. The Director-General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, Abdullahi Arah, said 42 lives were lost while 52 others sustained varying degrees of injuries.

Arah attributed the tragedy to the poor condition of the road and intense heat, which likely caused the fuel to ignite.

Governor Bago, in his remarks, expressed grief over the devastating loss and prayed for the quick recovery of the injured who are currently receiving treatment in hospitals in Bida and Abuja. He described the act of scooping fuel from accident scenes as “reckless, dangerous, and criminal.”

“We came to commiserate with them over the loss of lives and to talk to their conscience,” Bago said. “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 continue to encourage such acts.”

The governor further announced that a new primary healthcare centre would be constructed in Essa to meet the community’s health needs.

He also commended the intervention of industrialist Aliko Dangote, who has pledged to rehabilitate the Mokwa–Lambata Road — a move expected to mitigate similar disasters in future.

Bago reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to improving infrastructure and emergency response mechanisms across the state, stating that the government would not rest until the root causes of such tragedies are addressed.

“We must learn from this painful experience and act responsibly. Government will do its part, but our people too must be vigilant and protect lives above anything else,” he added.