Eyewitnesses reported that victims were attempting to scoop fuel from a fallen tanker when the vehicle suddenly exploded, triggering a massive fire that consumed several people. Many of the victims were burned beyond recognition, while the injured were rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment.

Comrade Farouk Kawo, Chairman of the Niger State Tanker Drivers Association and National Ex-Officio of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, confirmed the tragedy, calling it “devastating and avoidable.”

He explained further that the tanker was transporting petroleum products from Lagos to northern Nigeria when it crashed. Kawo also pointed out that over 30 tanker accidents had occurred along the Bida-Agaie route in October alone, attributing the high number of incidents to the poor condition of the road.

Read Also: Disaster Averted as Tanker Fire Engulfs Trucks In Lagos

One of Kawo’s major concerns was the persistent behavior of some locals who, despite repeated warnings, rush to scoop fuel from tanker accidents. He highlighted a similar incident just days earlier, when a tanker carrying groundnut oil also crashed in the same area, and residents scrambled to collect the spilled product.

Efforts to contact Abdullahi Baba-Arah, Director-General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, NSEMA, for comment were unsuccessful, as calls went unanswered at the time of reporting.

In the wake of the disaster, Kawo has called on Governor Umaru Bago to urgently address the dilapidated state of the road to prevent further accidents and loss of life.

Source: Channels

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The soldier, attached to the 221 Battalion, Wawa Cantonment and his wife were found dead in their apartment at Block 15, Room 24, Corporals and Below Quarters, Wawa Cantonment.

According to the Acting Assistant Director of Army Public Relations at 22 Armoured Brigade, Captain Stephen Nwankwo, confirmed that the incident was being investigated.

Nwankwo explained that preliminary investigation revealed that the soldier was on duty within the cantonment and had sought permission from his superior to attend to personal needs and return to duty.

Read Also: Suicide Prevention Day: NOA advocates against suicidal behaviours

“The 22 Armoured Brigade, Nigerian Army (NA), is aware of the news in respect of its personnel, Lance Corporal Akenleye Femi, serving at 221 Battalion, Wawa Cantonment, who is suspected of having killed his wife and committed suicide.

Source: Channels

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The cause of the accident was known to be overloading and a collision with a tree stump, however the passengers were not wearing any lifejackets when the boat capsized.

An anonymous source in the state’s Ministry of Transport, who pleaded anonymity because he did not have any permission to speak with the media, disclosed that the boat passengers were not wearing lifejackets, pointing out that if they were wearing them, more people would have been rescued.

“Borgu is very far, and a lot of these passengers do not like to wear the lifejackets for reasons best known to them,” the source said.

As of the time of filing this report, 29 corpses had been recovered, with 50 persons rescued, while two people are said to be still missing.

The Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, NESMA, Abdullahi Baba-Arah, confirmed the accident, saying a search and rescue operation was still ongoing.

Recall that Niger State experienced its first boat accident in July 2025.

Read Also: Niger boat accident wipes out family of 10

Source: Punch

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Confirming the development, the Niger State Government, through the Secretary to the State Government, Abubakar Usman, announced, “Senator Ibrahim died today, Thursday, in Abuja after a brief illness, leaving behind a legacy of dedicated service to his people and the nation at large.”

On behalf of the government and people of Niger State, Usman conveyed deep condolences over the passing of the former senator.

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The group described his action as unlawful and a clear attack on press freedom.

The group said the governor’s accusation that the radio station was inciting violence and his call for the station’s license to be revoked shows abuse of power and unacceptable intolerance of critical voices.”

This was revealed in a statement posted on X on Saturday by Amnesty International.

“The governor’s claim that the radio station is causing violence and his careless order to cancel its license show an abuse of power and a refusal to accept criticism.
The decision to shut down the radio station is wrong and cannot be justified.

“While bandits and insurgents are ravaging the Niger state through killings and massive displacements of rural communities, with both the federal government and Niger state failing to protect lives, pointing accusing fingers at a radio station clearly shows a failure of leadership.

“The attack on Badeggi 90.1 FM is part of a growing trend aimed at creating fear in newsrooms across Nigeria and making it more difficult for journalists to do their work,” the statement read in part.

The group called on Governor Bago to uphold media freedom and let independent voices work without fear.

“Governor Bago must immediately withdraw his unlawful order. Under Nigerian laws the governor has no power to order the shutdown of a radio station. Choosing to bizarrely blame a radio station for the inexcusable security failures of the government is an open attack on media freedom.

According to Amnesty, targeting independent media is a way of denying people access to honest and balanced news about the issues that affect their daily lives.

Recall that on Thursday, Governor Bago ordered the closure of the private radio station over alleged incitement of violence and unethical practices.

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The flood occurred after a heavy downpour that lasted two hours between 5 a.m. and 7 a.m.
Eyewitness in the area, attributed the flood to the diversion of drainage carrying a large volume of water by Arab Contractors, the firm handling the construction of a one-kilometre Man Musa Kodogi/Nasarafu bypass road.

The source claimed that the contractor’s actions led to the destruction of buildings and business premises in the area due to the large volume of diverted water.

According to the source, despite a search and rescue mission by members of the community, the boy’s corpse has not been found.

The spokesperson of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, NSEMA, Hussaini Ibrahim, explained that the agency is conducting an assessment of the incident, saying, “After the findings, the State Government will respond accordingly.”

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A statement by the Secretary of the Niger State Government, Abubakar Usman, explained the decision comes in light of recent security breaches and the unfortunate loss of lives within the university community.

Expressing sadness and concern over the recent incidents, the government urged the university community to remain vigilant, calm, and cooperate with the authorities during the period of closure.

“The safety and security of all citizens, including the students, remain a top priority for the government. The state government is working diligently to restore order, ensure the safety of all citizens, and maintain peace within the state.”

“The government promised to investigate into the security breeches and ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice while reiterating its commitment to upholding law and order, as well as protecting the lives and property of all residents in Niger State,” he stated.

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In a statement released on Sunday, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs conveyed condolences to the Nigerian government and the families of those affected by the disaster.

The statement expressed sorrow over the loss of lives and extensive damage caused by the flooding in the Mokwa region.

In response to the disaster, President Bola Tinubu on Saturday dispatched a high-level delegation to Niger State to assess the situation and support relief efforts.

According to figures released by the Niger State Government, at least 151 people have been confirmed dead, and more than 3,000 residents have been displaced.

The floods have also destroyed over 260 homes, township roads, and major bridges in Mokwa and Raba, compounding the humanitarian crisis in the area.

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The incident occurred in Kontagora Local Government Area, where authorities revealed that his father, Usman Bawa, a resident of the Rigasa area in Kontagora, reported the matter to the police command.

The deceased father, Usman Bawa, reported the case to police command that the incident occurred in Kontagora Local Government Area.

Report has it that Bawa was found hanging when his father entered the room on Saturday afternoon and discovered his lifeless body.

Police officers later arrived at the scene and transported his body to the general hospital, where he was confirmed dead. His remains were subsequently released to his family for burial following Islamic rites.

A police statement made available to newsmen provided further details: “Today, Saturday, 08/02/25, at approximately 14:10 hours, one Mr Usman Bawa, male, of Rigasa area in Kontagora, reported that his son, AP/No 337979, ASP Shafi’u Usman Bawa, committed suicide by hanging himself from the ceiling.

The lifeless body was taken to the General Hospital, Kontagora, where a medical doctor confirmed his death. The corpse was released to the family for burial according to Islamic rites. Further updates will be communicated.”

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In a statement, the minister said he received the news with a heavy heart and deep sorrow.

He sent heartfelt condolences to the government and people of the state, the families, friends and loved ones of the persons who lost their lives in the accident.

Reports say the accident occurred along Bida-Agaie-Lapai road in Niger State in the early hours of Sunday.

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