Oil tanker explosion kills more than 140 in Nigeria

More than 140 people were killed when an overturned tanker exploded in Nigeria, Africa.

The accident occurred at around 11:30 p.m. local time on the 15th when a tanker overturned near Khadija University in Taura, northern Nigeria.

Local police said the explosion caused heavy casualties as nearby residents rushed to pump fuel from the overturned tanker and the death toll could rise further in the future.

Nigeria is Africa's largest oil producer and the world's eighth-largest exporter of crude oil, but it lacks refineries and relies on imports for most of its petroleum products.

In particular, gasoline prices have soared since the elimination of decades-long fuel subsidies in the first half of last year, leading to fuel shortages.