On the morning of September 23, 2020, an oil tanker overturned and exploded in Lokoja, the capital of Kogi State in central Nigeria, killing at least 23 people.
Preliminary investigation revealed that when the accident happened, a tanker loaded with gasoline failed and lost control of its brakes and ran into five other oncoming vehicles. More than 5 cars were completely burnt in the accident, and the victims included students from the Kogi Institute of Technology. The head of the Kogi State of the Federal Road Safety Agency of Nigeria confirmed that at least 23 bodies were found in the rubble, and rescue work is continuing. But witnesses said that more than 50 people may have been killed in the fire, including some who were waiting for the bus on the side of the road.
The Governor of Kogi State Yahya Bello issued a statement on the same day that the accident occurred near a local polytechnic college and students from that school were among the casualties. Bello did not specify the number of students killed and injured, and he expressed deep condolences to the victims.
It is understood that the traffic conditions in Nigeria are relatively poor, with more overloads and speeding. In recent years, it has caused frequent car accidents.
