Source : NEW INDIAN EXPRESS NEWS
Last year, shortly after his election, President Bola Tinubu abolished a fuel subsidy.
That sent prices of essentials and other goods soaring, triggering protests.
The price of gasoline has increased fivefold in 18 months. That has led many to risk their lives to recover fuel during tanker truck accidents, which are common in Africa’s most populous country.
Inflation has been running at over 30 percent for the past year, and a report late last year jointly written by Nigerian authorities, the United Nations and NGOs said that more than 33 million of Nigeria’s roughly 230 million people would go hungry in 2025.
Niger State’s Bago said the explosion was “worrisome, heartbreaking and unfortunate”, but he added that people should “always be responsible and give priority to their safety”.
In October, more than 170 people died in a similar incident in Jigawa State, in northern Nigeria.
In 2020, the FRSC listed 1,531 fuel tanker accidents which claimed over 535 lives.
SOURCE :- NEW INDIAN EXPRESS
