Gas explosion in Katsina leaves many injured

A gas explosion in Magama Jibia town of Katsina State has left several persons injured.

The explosion which occurred on Friday, November 15, was also said to have damaged about seven cars and a house located in the area.

According to an eyewitness, the incident happened at an abandoned fuel station known as Walidan.

Sources said the explosion has been linked to activities by smugglers operating in the area.

It was gathered that the smugglers specialise in moving gas cylinders from the Niger Republic to some states in Northern Nigeria.

A resident of the area, Shehu Umar said, “What happened is about the people who smuggle gas from the Niger Republic and settle in some areas in Jibia town.”

Umar said that the smugglers came with a truck loaded with gas cylinders.

He said they had parked at the fuel station when the explosion suddenly occurred.

“We can’t ascertain the root cause of the disaster at the moment, but we suspect a spark from a wire on the truck, which may have triggered the explosion and spread to other trucks,” he said.