At least 94 people are killed when a fuel tanker explodes in Nigeria

According to a police spokeswoman on Wednesday, at least 94 people were killed and 50 injured when a fuel tanker in Jigawa state, northern Nigeria, crashed and exploded late on Tuesday after the driver lost control of the truck.

About 530 kilometers (329.33 miles) north of the capital Abuja, near Majia town in the Taura local government area, the event took place, Jigawa State Police Command spokesperson Lawan Shiisu Adam told Reuters over the phone.

Locals who had gathered to retrieve fuel from the tanker following its crash were among the casualties. According to Adam, the injured were sent to nearby hospitals in the towns of Ringim and Hadejia, where they received medical attention.

Later in the day, there will be a mass burial for the deceased, he said.

Nigeria, the most populated country in Africa, has a large number of badly maintained and pothole-filled roads that result in accidents that kill dozens of people each year.

When a fuel tanker collided with another truck transporting passengers and cattle in north-central Nigeria last month, it exploded, killing at least 48 people and trapping other cars in the fire.