Gas truck explosion claims six lives at Kogi checkpoint

At least six people have lost their lives following the explosion of a gas-laden truck along the Abuja-Lokoja Federal Highway in Kogi State. The incident occurred on Tuesday night near an Army checkpoint within the Chikara Division, causing a massive fire that spread rapidly to nearby vehicles and disrupted traffic on the busy highway. According to eyewitnesses, the truck, which was transporting gas cylinders, erupted in flames as it approached the checkpoint. The explosion triggered a chain reaction that engulfed three other trucks parked or moving nearby. The driver of the gas truck and his assistant were among those killed, while the drivers and assistants of the affected trucks also lost their lives in the blaze, bringing the death toll to six. Vehicles involved in the incident, including trucks registered in Jigawa State, Lagos State and the Federal Capital Territory, were completely destroyed by the fire. Emergency responders, including personnel of the Nigeria Police Force, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the Motor Traffic Division, were deployed to the scene to contain the fire, recover the victims and manage traffic. The bodies of the deceased were evacuated to the General Hospital in Abaji, while the wreckage was cleared from the road to restore the free flow of vehicles. As of the time of filing this report, the Kogi State Police Command had yet to issue an official statement on the incident. Efforts to obtain comments from the command were unsuccessful. Authorities are expected to investigate the cause of the explosion as emergency agencies continue to assess the full extent of the damage.

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