The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has called for precautionary actions against tanker accidents and fire disasters in the country.
The agency said tankers’ explosions alone accounted for over 1,500 deaths, while many other deaths have been linked to fire disasters in the country.
NEMA deputy director, Zakari Abubakar, who spoke in Lokoja at a one-day public Awareness programme on Tankers Explosion and Fire Disasters organised by the Kogi State Emergency Management Agency (KOSEMA), specifically warned against scooping of fuel from fallen tankers, saying the act has caused more damage than gain.
“Today’s gathering is borne out of NEMA’s determination to, in collaboration with critical stakeholders strengthen the disaster management framework with a view to enhancing a culture of preparedness and; community resilience to disasters in the country. This sensitisation is one of the numerous efforts of the National Emergency Management Agency that seek to address Nigeria’s vulnerability to fuel tanker-related accidents through early action, risk awareness, and coordinated response planning at the Federal, State, LGA and community levels.
“Fuel tanker explosions and accidents have taken a toll in Nigeria, often caused by a multiplicity of factors ranging from the poor state of the roads, badly maintained vehicles, to recklessness on the side of drivers. Statistics revealed that from January 2009 to October 2024, over a hundred tanker accidents leading to more than 1,500 deaths were recorded.
“More recently, precisely in Niger State, a tanker accident led to death of more than 80 persons with dozens, severely injured.
“In Agbor Delta State, 5 persons were killed in January 2025 when a tanker exploded after losing control and in Jigawa State, a tanker explosion in October 2024 killed more than 150 persons.
Considering the multifactorial causes of tanker accidents, including incompetent drivers, bad roads, On-street parking, Overloading, brake failure, scooping fuel from fallen tankers, and fuel stations within residential areas in Nigeria, urgent steps must be taken to avert or mitigate the impact of future occurrences.
“This programme will unravel common causes of Tanker accidents and emphasise effective prevention, preparedness and response strategies.
“I must reiterate that the culture of fuel scooping from fallen tankers should be highly condemned in strong terms.”
The executive secretary, Kogi State Emergency Management Agency, Mouktar Atimah said the state would continue to be responsive to disaster issues.
He said machinery is in place to ensure continuous sensitization on fire disasters and tanker explosions, and the state has mapped out areas prone to such occurrences.
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