A horrific explosion involving a gas-laden truck at a military checkpoint along the Abuja-Lokoja Federal Highway has claimed the lives of at least six persons.
The tragedy occurred within the jurisdiction of the Chikara Division in Kogi State, triggering emergency responses from the Nigeria Police Force, the Motor Traffic Division (MTD), and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).
The accident was first reported on Tuesday night, July 14, 2026, by security publication Zagazola Makama. According to the reports, the truck, which was transporting gas cylinders, exploded as it approached the military checkpoint, generating an inferno that instantly spread to other vehicles caught in the queue.
The driver of the gas truck and his assistant (motor boy) were burnt to death on the spot. The fire quickly spread to three other heavy-duty trucks waiting in line, killing their drivers and assistants as well.
The three destroyed trucks bore registration numbers from Jigawa State, Lagos State, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Emergency responders evacuated the remains of the six victims to the morgue at the General Hospital in Abaji.
Officials from the FRSC and the police cleared the burnt wreckage from the asphalt to reopen the highway and restore the flow of traffic along the busy federal transit route.
