On the night of October 15, 2025, a tragic tanker explosion shook the town of Majiya in Jigawa State, Nigeria. According to police reports, the incident occurred at midnight when the driver of a fuel tanker lost control of the vehicle while traveling along a busy highway. The tanker, which had traveled over 110 kilometers from Kano State, overturned, spilling fuel onto the road.

In a horrific turn of events, as people rushed to scoop up the leaking fuel, the tanker exploded into flames, killing over 150 people, including children, and leaving dozens injured. The local emergency services reported that most of the victims were burned beyond recognition, making identification difficult.

Grief swept through Majiya as residents held a mass burial for the victims just days after the tragedy. “Many of the bodies are unrecognizable,” officials from the Jigawa State Emergency Management Agency said, adding that some victims died in the hospital, while others were “burned to ashes” at the scene.

Deadly tanker accidents like this one are not uncommon in Nigeria, where weak traffic enforcement and a struggling transportation infrastructure often lead to such disasters. Without a reliable railway system to transport goods, tankers frequently carry dangerous loads of fuel across the country. The situation has worsened in recent years due to the removal of fuel subsidies, which has led to a sharp increase in fuel prices. Desperate for fuel, many Nigerians engage in the dangerous practice of salvaging spilled fuel from tanker accidents, unaware of the deadly risks.

Dr. Haruna Mairiga, Jigawa State Police Commissioner, lamented the tragic loss. “If they understood the danger, they wouldn’t have gone to fetch the fuel,” he said, noting that emergency responders arrived hours after the explosion, long after the fire had already consumed most of the area.

Eyewitnesses recounted the chaotic moments that followed the explosion. Sani Umar, a resident, told Channels Television, “The fire spread so quickly that people were running in every direction, screaming for help.”

“This is a heartbreaking moment for us all,” said Jigawa State Police Commissioner Ahmadu Abdullahi. Local officials expect the death toll to rise as rescue workers continue to comb through the wreckage.

“Multiple households have suffered devastating losses, with entire families wiped out in the explosion,” added Mu’azu Rabiu, a resident of Majiya who witnessed the disaster firsthand.