DM Monitoring
LAGOS: An unknown number of persons, including students, have been confirmed killed after a fuel tanker explosion in Kogi state, central Nigeria on Wednesday as the state governor expressed condolences to the families of the victims.
Yahaya Bello, the governor of Kogi state, said in a statement on Wednesday he was very sad to learn of the “tragic loss of lives, many vehicles, property and other valuables” in the fire arising from the fuel tanker explosion that occurred around the Felele area of Lokoja, the state capital of Kogi.
He said this is “the greatest tragedies the state has witnessed in recent times”, without revealing details such as the exact casualties and cause of the accident.
The governor also urged the students of Kogi State Polytechnic to remain calm and peaceful, adding that he equally shared in their grieving moment over the death of some of their colleagues in the disaster.
Witnesses told media that the state government had deployed police and traffic management officials to the scene of the accident to restore order.
Mohammed Onogwu, spokesperson of the governor, told media on the phone the governor will address the media after an on-the-spot assessment of the scene of the incident.
According to local media reports, some Kogi State Polytechnic students, school buses conveying local primary and secondary school students, and residents passing by were burnt by the fire sparked by the explosion.
