The number of casualties in the petrol tanker explosion at Dikko Junction, Niger State on Saturday now stands at 86, with 55 injured now in the hospital.
According to reports, the death toll was 70 on Saturday, with 50 injured in the unfortunate incident.
The latest update reveals that more dead bodies have been recovered and a mass burial has been given to the victims in Dikki, Niger State.
Confirming the latest figures in a statement on Sunday, the Director-General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, Abdullahi Baba-Arah disclosed that kind-hearted individuals assisted the agency in conducting the mass burial between 5 pm and midnight.
“A total of 86 persons have been confirmed dead, with their corpses recovered and buried.
“Eighty of them were buried in a mass grave at Dikko Primary Healthcare Centre premises, while five were taken by their relatives for burial in the town, and one died at Dikko Primary Healthcare Centre.
“The mass burial was carried out by NSEMA in collaboration with Gurara LGA and courageous volunteers between the hours of 5 pm and midnight.
“The number of injured now stands at 55, with one death recorded at Dikko PHC,” he stated.