Fire, losses as fuel tanker rams into mosque in Niger State

The Police Command in Niger says a fully loaded petroleum product tanker coming from Minna to Suleja skidded off the road and rammed into a Mosque at Lambata in Gurara Local Government Area.

Mr Adamu Usman, the state’s Commissioner of Police, confirmed the accident in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Minna on Monday.

Usman said that the accident, which occurred at about 22:45 hours on Sunday, led to the burning of a car and another articulated vehicle loaded with goods.

“52 lock shops by the road side and 10 houses were also razed,” he said.

“We have since commenced investigation and warned truck drivers to desist from carrying people in truck as such vehicles are not for passengers,” he said.

The Commissioner said that the police and the fire service are fully on ground controlling the situation.

Malam Ibrahim Maje, a resident of Lambata, told NAN that no live was lost in the ensuring inferno, but many people were wounded while escaping from the scene. (NAN)