BREAKING: Fresh Tanker Overturns, Blocks Lapai–Agaie Road Weeks After Explosion Killed Dozens In Niger State

Traffic on the Lapai–Agaie Road was disrupted on Monday morning when a fuel tanker’s compartment detached and blocked part of the route.

SaharaReporters gathered that the driver, travelling from Lagos to Gombe, reported that the tanker’s fuel compartment came off from the main truck and veered off, obstructing the road.

Security agencies, including operatives of the Lapai Divisional Police Command, swiftly moved to the scene, and firefighters were deployed to prevent any fire risk.

SaharaReporters also confirmed that no casualties were recorded, but the area remains under tight security while efforts continue to clear the obstruction.

This comes in the wake of a recent tragic tanker explosion in Niger State.

On October 21, 2025, a petrol tanker exploded on the Bida–Agaie expressway in Katcha Local Government Area after people reportedly attempted to scoop fuel from the crashed vehicle. According to the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), at least 35 people were killed and 46 others injured.

Other reports, including from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), suggest the death toll may have reached 39, with more than 60 people sustaining severe burns, including men, women and children.

Responding to that tragedy, FRSC officials warned against the dangerous practice of scooping fuel from accident scenes. Sector Commander Hajiya Aishatu Sa’adu said preliminary investigations pointed to a lone crash caused by loss of control.

Meanwhile, the Niger State Tanker Drivers Association, through its chairman Farouk Mohammed Kawo, decried the poor state of the road, saying over 30 tanker accidents occurred on the same route in October alone.