Benue in Tears As Fuel Tanker Explosion Kills Scores, Razes Shops

By Izunna Okafor

Oshigbudu in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State was greeted with tears in the noon hours of Sunday, April 18, as fuel tanker explosion claimed lives of many residents of the community.

According to eyewitnesses, the incident occurred when a tanker conveying petroleum product, fell on the road side in a residential area of the community, and sparked off into an inferno, which ended up razing shops and houses of residents of the area.

The Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency, Dr Emmanuel Shior who confirmed the incident to newsmen said a statement would be issued subsequently, and that he would inform the state governor, Samuel Ortom on the incident.

“The fire inferno at Oshugbudu in Agatu local Government, my local government of origin today, 18-04-2021 which has claimed so many lives and destroyed properties yet to be quantified, is the Chief of all the calamities that have fallen us this year,” he said.

Although as at the time of this report, the level of casualties and damages recorded during the incident was still sketchy.

More details later...