A massive gas explosion rocked Sabon Wuse in Tafa Local Government Area (LGA) of Niger State late Saturday night, destroying several vehicles, shops, and food supplies.
The incident occurred around 11 p.m. when a gas tanker was offloading at a local filling station. Witnesses reported that the explosion sent shockwaves through the community, igniting a fire that spread rapidly to a nearby petrol station, consuming multiple shops and parked vehicles.
Musa Aliyu, a resident of Sabon Wuse, described the scene as terrifying. “The flames were so intense they could be seen from different parts of town. People ran out of their homes in fear. We thank Allah that no one was injured, but the damage is enormous,” he said.
Firefighters arrived after several hours, but the inferno had already caused extensive losses. The Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Abdullahi Baba-Arah, confirmed the incident, stating that while no casualties were recorded, the destruction was severe.
This explosion comes just weeks after a similar tanker explosion at Dikko Junction on the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway, which is only about three kilometers away from Sabon Wuse.
In response, residents are calling on authorities to enforce stricter safety regulations for gas and petrol stations to prevent future disasters. The incident highlights the dangers of handling flammable substances without adequate safety measures.
