Nigeria's oil tanker explosion death toll rises to 86

The number of people killed in the Nigerian oil tanker explosion has risen to 86.

Al Jazeera reported on the 20th local time that a total of 86 victims of the oil tanker explosion were reported, citing a statement by a spokesperson for the Nigerian National Disaster Management Agency.

It added that 55 people were injured and were being treated at three local hospitals.

On the morning of the 18th local time, an oil tanker carrying 60,000 liters of gasoline exploded after falling sideways on a road in the Suleja area of Nigeria's Niger state.

In the process of dealing with the accident, the damage increased as nearby residents flocked to pump fuel.

In Nigeria, 147 people were killed when an overturned tanker exploded in the northern state of Jigawa in October last year.

Nigeria, Africa's largest oil producer but dependent on imports for most of its oil products due to a lack of refineries, has seen a recent surge in gasoline prices, leading to fuel shortages.