Death Toll rises to 153 from Nigeria fuel tanker explosion

The death toll from a fuel tanker explosion in northern Nigeria has risen to at least 153, with another 100 people injured, police told CNN Thursday.

The blast, which happened late evening local time on Tuesday in Majiya, a village in Jigawa state, came after the vehicle crashed and while locals were attempting to retrieve the fuel.

“The driver lost control and the tanker somersaulted and spilled fuel into a drainage ditch,” Jigawa police spokesperson Shiisu Lawan Adam said.

“As a result, residents rushed to scoop the fuel when the explosion happened.”

A mass burial was held on Wednesday afternoon for some of the victims, Adam said.

The death toll rose steadily since news of the deadly explosion broke.

“People are feeling very sad,” said Umar Majia, a member of the community whose 12-year-old nephew was killed in the blast.

“This type of incident has never happened in the community. It is the worst tragedy so far,” he told CNN.

Nigeria’s Vice President Kashim Shettima mourned the victims in a statement Wednesday, saying: “My heart aches for those who have had their families torn apart by this disaster.

“This devastating incident has shaken us all to our core. The Federal Government stands with the people of Jigawa. We are mobilising all necessary resources to support the injured and assist the families affected by this calamity.”

Shettima also announced “immediate federal government intervention and called for a comprehensive review of fuel transportation safety protocols.”

The blast comes a month after at least 48 people were killed in a similar accident in the north-central Niger state.

Fuel tanker explosions are not unusual in Africa’s most populous country, where oil supplies are frequently dispatched by road.

Previous fires have led to multiple casualties. In 2020, more than 500 people lost their lives in more than 1,500 fuel tanker accidents recorded that year, according to Nigeria’s road safety agency.

Residents, beleaguered by soaring living costs in the West African nation - where gasoline is scarce and expensive - often brave danger to scoop fuel from fallen tankers or damaged oil pipelines.

Gas prices have risen dramatically to more than six times their usual rate since the government ended fuel subsidies last year.

Poverty remains rife in Nigeria despite its status as one of Africa’s largest oil producers.

By Nimi Princewill, CNN

Related story: Nigeria fuel tanker explosion kills over 90, injures dozens

Nigeria fuel tanker explosion kills over 90, injures dozens

More than 90 people have been killed and 50 wounded after a fuel tanker exploded in northwestern Nigeria, according to police.

The overnight explosion took place on an expressway in Jigawa state as dozens of people rushed to the vehicle to collect the fuel, a police spokesman said on Wednesday.

“The residents were scooping up fuel from the overturned tanker when the explosion occurred, sparking a massive inferno that killed 94 people on the spot,” Lawan Adamu told The Associated Press news agency.

The fire burned into the early hours of Wednesday.

Last month, at least 48 people were killed in an explosion after a fuel tanker collided with another truck in Nigeria’s north-central Niger state.

Deadly truck accidents are common along most of the major roads in Nigeria, with experts attributing many of them to reckless driving, poor road conditions and poorly maintained vehicles.

In 2020 alone, there were 1,531 petrol tanker crashes resulting in 535 fatalities and 1,142 injuries, according to Nigeria’s Federal Road Safety Corps.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company in early September increased the price of petrol by at least 39 percent, the second major hike in more than a year.

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Nigeria’s informal sector, which accounts for around 80 percent of total jobs has been hit by a wave of resignations, as some workers are unable to afford the daily commute after a hike in fuel prices. Economists said a rise in unemployment could affect the country’s economy and security.

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The Flamingoes, who finished third in the last edition of the tournament in India in 2022, completed preparations for the upcoming competition in the Dominican Republic. The team is placed in Group alongside the hosts, Ecuador and New Zealand.

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Binance exec and former U.S. agent Tigran Gambaryan denied bail by Nigeria

 It has been almost eight months since Binance executive and former IRS agent, Tigran Gambaryan, has been wrongfully detained in Nigeria over a feud between the African nation and the world’s largest crypto exchange. In the latest blow to his fight for freedom, he was denied bail by a Nigerian judge on Friday despite his deteriorating health.

Gambaryan was jailed in February after visiting Nigeria to address allegations that Binance was undermining the local currency, which began to crash in May 2023. Economists have laid the blame for this on corruption and economic mismanagement by the country’s leaders—but, in what critics say is an effort to find a scapegoat, Nigerian officials arrested Gambaryan and another Binance executive and charged them with financial crimes.

Since his detention, Gambaryan’s condition has worsened significantly. He is now being held at Nigeria's notorious Kuje prison alongside members of the Boko Haram terrorist group and has been denied access to his legal team. Throughout his time in prison he has suffered from malaria, tonsillitis, pneumonia, and complications from a herniated disc in his back which requires “high-risk specialized surgery.”

While he sits in a cell thousands of miles away from his wife and children in Georgia, U.S. representatives and Binance executives have intensified calls for his release. His wife, Yuki Gambaryan, has continued to fight for his freedom since he was detained.

Following the hearing on Friday, a Binance spokesperson said in a statement, ”He has been unlawfully detained for over 220 days. Tigran did not go to Nigeria as a decision-maker and there is no good reason to continue to hold him. We are committed to working with the Nigerian government to resolve issues, but Tigran must be allowed to go home.”

While initially reluctant to get involved, U.S. officials began to advocate for Gambaryan’s release over the summer. Most recently, Rep. Rich McCormick (R-Ga.), a member of the Armed Services and Foreign Affairs Committees, called upon the U.S. State Department to take a stronger stance in talks with Nigeria. “All cards should be on the table. We should be putting enormous leverage against Nigeria until they release him or at least turn him over to the consulate to be treated fairly, he get an expedient case with a legitimate charge,” McCormick said on the Illicit Edge podcast.

In June, 16 bipartisan U.S. lawmakers sent a letter to President Joe Biden urging for Gambaryan to be released, while over 100 U.S. prosecutors and special agents sent a similar letter to the U.S. State Department. In the following weeks, Rep. French Hill (R-Ark.) and Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.) visited Gambaryan in the Nigerian prison. Also in June, Nigeria dropped some charges against Gambaryan after FBI director Christoper Wray visited the country on an unrelated matter.

Gambaryan’s ongoing detention came after the State Department negotiated the release of basketball player Brittany Griner and journalist Evan Gershkovich from Russia earlier this year. Both Americans had received a “wrongfully detained” designation, which made their release a top priority with a special agency within the State Department. Gambaryan has yet to receive that designation to the frustration of his family and others, likely because Nigeria is a nominal ally of the U.S.

By Catherine McGrath, Fortune

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