Fatimah Otunsanya
The Director-General of the National Orientation Agency, Lanre Issa-Onilu, has condemned the persistent practice of residents rushing to scoop fuel from fallen tankers.
He blamed the recurring explosions and loss of lives on poor community leadership and eroded national values.
Fuel tanker explosions have become a recurring tragedy in Nigeria, often caused by residents attempting to scoop petrol from crashed or leaking tankers. Despite repeated public warnings and campaigns, hundreds of lives have been lost to such incidents over the years.
The latest incident, where at least 39 people were killed and more than 60 others injured, occurred on Tuesday in a fuel tanker explosion at Essa, Katcha Local Government Area of Niger State.
According to the National Emergency Management Agency, the explosion occurred after residents rushed to scoop petrol from a fallen tanker.
Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago had mourned the victims, describing the incident as tragic and avoidable. He indicated that emergency responders struggled to contain the inferno, which consumed several houses, vehicles, and motorcycles.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television on Thursday, Issa-Onilu said President Bola Tinubu had given the agency a “marching order” to embark on a nationwide sensitisation campaign after a deadly tanker explosion in Dikko community, Niger State, which killed several people attempting to collect spilled fuel.
He recounted that during the Dikko incident, security operatives arrived early and warned residents to stay away from the spilled product, but were chased away.
Issa-Onilu said the repeated pattern of people rushing to scoop petrol from fallen tankers showed a deeper social problem.
“I’m sure this particular one, you will find out that it is the whole of the community issue. It’s about values in this country. It’s about values,” he stated.