Nigerian authorities have announced measures to correct lapses that resulted in the deaths of more than 140 people in an explosion on Wednesday as they were trying to scoop up fuel from an overturned fuel tanker in one of the deadliest road accidents ever in the West African nation.
Most of the victims in the accident in Jigawa state were burned to death close to the tanker but some were caught in the fire as they tried to assist others, witnesses say. It is a recurring disaster in one of Africa's top oil-producing countries, where tankers are the main source of transporting fuel across states.
The Nigerian Federal Road Safety Corps issued a nationwide order to implement the minimum safety standards for fuel tankers before they are allowed on the road, its spokesman Olusegun Ogungbemide said.
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu also said he is committed to a 'swift and comprehensive" review of fuel transportation safety protocols across the country, according to a statement issued Wednesday night by his office.
The latest accident happened at midnight as the tanker driver lost control of the vehicle in the remote town of Majiya, where the emergency services could not arrive until several hours later, according to Dr. Haruna Mairiga, head of the Jigawa disaster management agency.
