The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has confirmed that the death toll from Tuesday’s petrol tanker explosion at Essan community in Katcha Local Government Area of Niger State has risen to 39, with 60 others hospitalised for severe burns.

NEMA disclosed this in a statement posted on its official X handle on Wednesday, adding that a detailed assessment of the incident was ongoing.

The tragedy occurred when residents of the area reportedly rushed to scoop fuel from a fallen tanker along the Bida–Badegi–Agaie road around 3:45 p.m. The tanker, which had been involved in a lone accident, burst into flames while people were collecting petrol, resulting in multiple casualties.

Earlier reports from the Niger State Police Command had put the death toll at 31.

According to NEMA’s situation report, the multi-agency response team comprising officials of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), police, Civil Defence, FRSC, DSS, local vigilantes, and community volunteers successfully evacuated the injured to nearby medical facilities, including the Essan Primary Health Centre, Idris Private Hospital, and the Federal Medical Centre, Bida.

“The explosion claimed 39 lives and left over 60 persons with severe burns, including men, women, and children. The victims were reportedly among those attempting to scoop fuel from the fallen tanker,” NEMA said.

The agency’s Director-General, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, while commiserating with the victims and their families, urged Nigerians to desist from the dangerous act of scooping fuel from accident scenes.

“Such acts have repeatedly led to avoidable loss of lives. Members of the public are advised to stay clear of accident scenes and promptly alert emergency agencies for professional handling,” Umar warned.

Meanwhile, Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has expressed sympathy to Niger State Governor Mohammed Bago and the families of the victims.

In a condolence message signed by his media aide, Gboyega Akosile, Sanwo-Olu described the incident as “worrisome and deeply tragic.”

“It is with a heavy heart that I read and followed the development of the disaster that happened yesterday along the Bida–Agaie highway in Niger State following the explosion of a petrol-laden tanker that reportedly claimed about 35 persons. Our thoughts and prayers are with Governor Bago, the people of Niger State, and the affected families,” he said.

Fuel tanker explosions remain a recurring tragedy across Nigeria, often triggered by unsafe practices such as fuel scooping. Despite repeated public awareness campaigns, similar incidents have claimed hundreds of lives nationwide.

In January, over 70 people were burnt to death in a similar incident in Niger State, while a recent investigation by PUNCH Metro revealed that more than 400 Nigerians have died in tanker-related explosions over the past year.