NEWS COMMENTARY ON DANGERS OF SCOOPING FUEL FROM A FALLEN TANKER

Experts in the oil and gass industry in Nigeria and other developed worlds have described the practice of rushing to scoop fuel on the spot fuel tanker accident by some questionable Nigerians as not only strange,but suicidal.

The experts wondered why some citizens were trying to maximize some economic gains from such incidents and queried the spirit of the duty of care from the general public.

Unarguably, ignorance of the dangers associated with the practice of fuel scooping is responsible for the number of deaths recorded each time fuel tanker accident occurs in any part of the country.

A recent fuel tanker explosion in Suleja,Niger State reginited concerns over the recurring tragedies caused by fuel scooping in Nigeria with over ninety-eight lives lost in the recent incident and almost four hundred deaths in four years.

The disaster highlights the deadly risk of poverty-driven,desperation and systemic failure in Nigeria as the giant of Africa.

Moreover,concerned Nigerians have examined these factors fueling these preventable tragedies and the urgent need for acton to end them now.

However, dangers of fuel scooping from a fallen tanker is no doubt deadly risk because approaching a spilt fuel tanker with metal container is not only dangerous,but can be fatal. Fuel vapors and leaks from the tanker can ignite at any moment leading to explosions that can cause severe injuries or even loss of lives.

Nigerians are seen over times trying to scoop fuel from the fallen fuel tankers despite the inherent dangers associated with it like chronic health hazards, environmental damage,severe burns and injuries and above all untimely deaths.

On October 17th,2024,tanker was overturned and exploded in Jigawa state, Northern Nigeria,killing at least one hundred and fifty -three persons who had rushed to the scene of the accident to collect petrol and about one hundred people were injured by the explosion.

Available data from the office of the Commissioner for Petrolatum and Mineral Resources in Anambra State,Mr Anthony Ifeany has shown that similar fuel tanker misharps had happened in Enugu State,at Ugwu Onyema to be precise and report had it that about one hundred lives were lost to the explosion and many people were reported injured as well as livestocks,fruits and other numerous unquantifiable valuables destroyed.

The Commissioner reported that similar scenerio had also happened in Anambra State at Army Barracks Onitsha, Zik’s round about Onitsha,and the popular upper-Iweka junction both in the recent times and years back were the people were seen rushing to the scene of the accident with their jerricans and buckets to scoop fuel not minding that fuel is highly inflammable with a view to making cheap gains to the detriment of their lives.

Consequently, the Commissioner advised the good people of the state to run as fast as their legs could carry them and do not play with their lives at any moment of tanker accident because according to him,there is no amount of money they can make from fuel scoop that will be greater than their lives .

The incessant fallen of tankers on Nigerian roads which had claimed so many lives of innocent people is blamed on various factors such as hunger, poverty,over speeding, reckless driving,the bad roads and driving under the influence of drug by the road masters cut across Nigeria.

Also, multiple check-pionts by the security agents on roads, plying on the roads in day times by the tankers drivers were further fingered out as some of the factors also responsible for the incessant tanker accidents.

The need to advocate banning of the tanker drivers from driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs by the officer and men of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in the country and other constituted authorities on roads management should be emphasized the more by all well meaning Nigerians in order to put a permanent stop to this dreaded monster

While a speedy limit for the tanker drivers should be accorded a desired priority by the tanker owners, there is also need to empower the officers and men of the Federal Road Safety Corps including Vehicles Inspection Officers (VIO) at all levels for proper monitoring of behaviors of the tanker drivers while on the roads.

Moreso,the fuel scoopers at any given tanker misharps should meant to face the full wraths of law while Nigerian government should in other hands work towards enactment of stringent laws that will put to a stop this ugly menace in Nigeria.

The National Orientation Agency (NOA)and other government information management organizations in the country should expedite actions on re-orientation of the general public on the inherent dangers of scooping fuel on the spots of the tanker misharps with a view to saving lives.

Age should be considered before engaging a person as tanker driver and fuel tank be properly covered to ensure that there is no leakage of fuel on the road in order to averting unnecessary inferno in any part of the country again due to fuel leakages at any little provocation.

By Anthony Obiorah — PRO, NOA, Anambra State.