The tragedy of Abeokuta -Yamu Expressway as an Inferno tanker claims lives, destroying vehicles, electricity channels

A midnight tanker explosion along the Abeokuta -Sagutu -Jamu -free road has made several people feared to die, destroy vehicles, and put a community nearby into the darkness after the electric channel is damaged in Inferno.

The incident occurred around 1 o’clock in Friday when a 33,000 liter tanker laden with gasoline, reportedly speeding, upside down and spilling its contents across the highway, lighting a large fire.

Confirming the development, a spokesman for the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency (Trace), Babatunde Akinbiyi, said:

“The inferno case caused by a tanker loaded with 30,000 liters of fuel that fell on its side and spilled its contents of around 0100 hours today, along the road between Abeokuta-Kobape-Siun-Sagamu roads, due to excessive speed and loss of control, has been reported.

“The effect of unfavorable incidents also extends to the burning of trucks and towing vehicles along the roadside, as well as the destruction of PHCN cables that supply electricity to Mowe and surrounding areas.”

Rescue Agency, including Trace, Ogun State Fire Department, Nestlé PLC Fire Department, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), and Police, immediately deployed to the scene. Akinbiyi noted that emergency respondents had worked to restore order after extinguishing the fire and starting the fuel suppression process.

The number of victims was still unclear at the time of the press, but eyewitnesses reported that some lives may have been lost.

Akinbiyi further appealed to public cooperation, saying: “The general public, especially motorized people in transit along the route, demand to be calm, patient, and cooperate with the transfer and traffic routes imposed by Trace, Police, State Fire Fire Services, FRSC, Amotekun, and NSCDC.

“However, every inconvenience due to the poor incident is very regrettable.”

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Traffic along the busy corridor has been diverted to one path to allow respondents to complete their operations.

This tragedy adds to the embarrassing list of embarrassing tankers in Nigeria, where poor road safety law enforcement and delayed emergency responses often worsen results. In October 2024, a tanker fired on Lagos – Ibadan Expressway near Ibafo killed one person and destroyed several vehicles. Once again in July 2025, another gasoline tanker explosion in Ibadan, triggered by the failure of brakes, vehicles and destroyed properties.

This recurrent disaster highlights the problems of systemic in fuel transportation, regulatory supervision, and public safety awareness – making many Nigerians afraid that similar tragedies will continue except reforms that are immediately upheld.