A petrol tanker exploded on Wednesday evening along the Abuja-Keffi expressway, near the Karu bridge in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), causing panic among commuters and extensive damage to vehicles.
The explosion occurred as workers were returning home from the nation’s capital, resulting in gridlock and chaos as people scrambled for safety.
At the time of this report, it remains unclear whether there were casualties, but personnel from the FCT Fire Service swiftly arrived at the scene to extinguish the blaze and prevent further escalation.
According to Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency publication focused on the Lake Chad region, witnesses reported that multiple vehicles were caught in the inferno. One survivor described a terrifying scene.
“I saw the tanker coming at high speed, swerving dangerously before it crashed. Within seconds, there was an explosion, and fire spread everywhere,” the survivor was quoted as saying.
The cause of the tanker’s crash and subsequent explosion has yet to be confirmed, and no official statement has been issued by the FCT administration or the fire service regarding the incident.
The situation highlights ongoing safety concerns on the Abuja-Keffi road, a major route often plagued by traffic congestion and accidents involving heavy-duty vehicles.