A petrol tanker explosion in Ogoja Local Government Area of Cross River State has left 12 people dead and dozens injured. The tragedy occurred on Wednesday during transloading operations near a river in Ogoja.
ASP Eitokpah Sunday, spokesperson for the Cross River State Police Command, confirmed the incident. “The Divisional Traffic Officer and patrol teams were promptly mobilised to secure the area and manage traffic,” he said.
He explained that the scene was cordoned off to prevent further casualties. “Efforts were made with stakeholders to rescue trapped victims and evacuate the injured to General Hospital, Ogoja,” he added.
According to police, the fire broke out while fuel was being transferred from the tanker. Reinforcements were deployed to contain the blaze and restrict access to the danger zone.
“Twelve corpses were evacuated and released to families, including the Hausa Muslim community for burial in line with Islamic rites,” Sunday stated.
Witnesses reported that about 38 people suffered injuries of varying severity. Unconfirmed accounts suggest that a soldier and a policeman were among those hurt.
The tanker reportedly fell into a nearby river, sparking the fire that engulfed residents gathered at the site.
Police say investigations are ongoing to determine both the immediate and remote causes of the disaster.
The focus is on the circumstances surrounding the transloading process that triggered the explosion. The police command assured that public safety remains a priority as inquiries continue.
This incident adds to Nigeria’s troubling record of fuel-related accidents, often linked to unsafe handling and poor regulation of petroleum products.
Similar explosions in the past have claimed many lives and destroyed property, without any serious government policy to curb the occurrence.
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