A gas explosion at Tasiu Gas Plant in Sabon Wuse, Tafa Local Government Area of Niger State, caused massive destruction late Saturday night during a failed gas transfer operation.
The incident occurred around 11 p.m. when an attempt to transload gas from a tanker to a surface tank went wrong, setting off a powerful explosion that engulfed the station in flames. Several vehicles parked nearby were destroyed, and a neighboring grain processing factory suffered severe losses.
The Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) confirmed the explosion, attributing it to the risky transloading process. Abdullahi Baba Arah, Director General of NSEMA, said no casualties or injuries were recorded.
“Ngeil grain processing factory behind the gas plant was also gutted by the inferno. About 550 bags of beans and six bags of soya beans were burnt in the factory,” Arah said.
This explosion comes just weeks after the Dikko fire disaster, which claimed over 100 lives and left many others injured, raising concerns about safety standards at fuel and gas facilities in the state.
Local residents expressed relief that there were no casualties but lamented the significant economic losses. “The fire spread quickly, destroying everything in its path before firefighters arrived,” a witness said.
NSEMA has urged operators of gas plants and fuel depots to strictly adhere to safety protocols to prevent future incidents. An investigation into the cause of the explosion has been launched.
Authorities are also calling for improved safety monitoring and emergency response preparedness across Niger State to protect lives and property from similar disasters in the future.
