A midnight tanker explosion along the Abeokuta–Sagamu Expressway has left several people feared dead, destroyed vehicles, and plunged nearby communities into darkness after electricity lines were damaged in the inferno.
The incident occurred around 1 a.m. Friday when a petrol-laden 33,000-litre tanker, reportedly speeding, overturned and spilled its contents across the highway, igniting a massive fire.
Confirming the development, the spokesperson for the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency (TRACE), Babatunde Akinbiyi, said:
“The case of an inferno caused by a 30,000-litre fuel-laden tanker which fell on its side and spilled its contents around 0100hrs today, along the Abeokuta–Kobape–Siun–Sagamu Interchange stretch of the PMB Expressway, due to excessive speed and loss of control, has been reported.
“The effect of the unfortunate incident also extended to the burning of a truck and a tow vehicle along the roadside, as well as the destruction of a PHCN cable supplying electricity to Mowe and environs.”
Rescue agencies, including TRACE, the Ogun State Fire Service, Nestlé PLC Fire Service, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), and the Police, were immediately deployed to the scene. Akinbiyi noted that emergency responders had been working to restore order after extinguishing the fire and beginning the fuel decantation process.
Casualty figures remain unclear as of press time, but eyewitnesses report that several lives may have been lost.
Akinbiyi further appealed for public cooperation, saying: “The general public, particularly the motoring public on transit along the route, is implored to be calm, patient, and cooperate with the diversion and re-routing of traffic put in place by TRACE, Police, Ogun State Fire Service, FRSC, Amotekun, and the NSCDC.
“However, any inconveniences as a result of this unfortunate incident are highly regretted.”
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Traffic along the busy corridor has been diverted to a single lane to allow responders to complete their operations.
The tragedy adds to a growing list of devastating tanker fires across Nigeria, where poor enforcement of road safety laws and delayed emergency responses have often worsened outcomes. In October 2024, a tanker fire on the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway near Ibafo killed one person and destroyed several vehicles. Again in July 2025, another petrol tanker explosion in Ibadan, triggered by brake failure, razed vehicles and property.
These recurring disasters highlight systemic issues in fuel transportation, regulatory oversight, and public safety awareness — leaving many Nigerians fearful that similar tragedies will continue unless reforms are urgently enforced.
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