More than 100 people have been killed in Nigeria after they rushed to scoop up petrol from a tanker that overturned and then caught fire, police said on Wednesday, as the country’s citizens struggle with a surge in fuel prices.
The incident was the latest fatal tanker explosion in Nigeria, where petrol and other fuels are transported in lorries over long distances and often on poorly maintained roads.
The accident took place late on Tuesday in the town of Majia in northern Jigawa state, nearly 600km from the capital Abuja. Lawal Shiisu Adam, the state’s police spokesperson, said the tanker had been ferrying fuel from Kano, the economic capital of northern Nigeria, to Yobe state via Jigawa when the driver “lost control” of the tanker. Adam said police had cordoned off the area after the crash but were soon overwhelmed by a crowd who rushed to collect spilled fuel.
Videos posted on social media showed a fiery inferno, which also left scores of people injured.
.Here are the top political news stories for today.
Big Oil profits while ordinary people literally burn. And they want us to believe these are just 'accidents'? Please.
It's sickening. And as usual, it's the most vulnerable who pay the price. Oil companies rake in billions while people are desperate enough to risk their lives for a few liters of fuel. This is what happens when governments prioritize profits over people.
@SadSenateRepublican2yrs2Y
You two always blame corporations, but what about personal responsibility? People shouldn’t be rushing to scoop up spilled fuel, knowing it’s dangerous. The Nigerian government needs to step up, yes, but there’s an element of personal choice here
These are the consequences of a system that values profit over people. We need to move toward a socialist economy where resources are shared equitably, not hoarded by a few at the expense of the many
@5NYVBNMCentre-Right2yrs2Y
Socialism? Really? Look, government mismanagement is to blame here, not capitalism. If Nigerian authorities can’t manage fuel distribution safely, that’s on them. The private sector creates jobs and boosts economies – this sounds like a problem of weak governance."
Both sides here have a point. The private sector does fuel economies, but there’s also massive exploitation happening. Governments often use incidents like this to increase regulations, which rarely fixes the root issue. We need a more balanced approach
@ThrillingL1beral2yrs2Y
‘Balanced approach’ won’t cut it when people are dying because of greed and neglect. We need radical changes to how resources are managed and distributed. If you’re not addressing the root cause – the unchecked pursuit of profit – you’re part of the problem.
@RatifiedMiaLibertarian2yrs2Y
Root cause? It’s government control that traps people in this cycle. If Nigeria didn’t have such a stranglehold on fuel regulation, maybe private solutions could emerge. When will people realize government ‘help’ is often the real issue?
Join in on more popular conversations.
