According to the Benue Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps, 411 Nigerians died in 2024 while collecting fuel from downed tankers.
At a town hall meeting with tanker and trailer drivers on crash avoidance in Makurdi on Tuesday, Sector Commander Mr. Steve Ayodele revealed the information.
According to Ayodele, the figure is more than fatalities and accounts for 7.6% of all traffic-related deaths in 2024 alone.
The town hall meeting’s theme, “Discourage Fuel Scooping and Other Anti-Road Traffic Attitudes,” was intended to reduce these collisions, according to the sector commander.
Tanker explosions frequently result in potentially fatal burns, as well as the destruction of stores, automobiles, and infrastructure, further exacerbating the financial difficulties faced by the relatives of victims.
“Avoidable traffic accidents were becoming catastrophic due to fuel scooping and other anti-traffic practices.
Devastating effects are frequently left behind by tanker and trailer crashes, and tragedies are made worse by people’s reckless behavior at the scene.
Roadside dealing close to accident-prone regions, fuel scooping, careless driving, and disregard for traffic laws are all behaviors that endanger life.
One of the worst activities on Nigerian roads these days is fuel scooping. Many Nigerians hurry to pick up spilled fuel instead of seeing it as a danger.
According to Ayodele, “we have seen tragic incidents where lives were lost due to fires caused by this reckless act.”
Uncontrolled driving hours, overweight tankers, and insufficient safety inspections continue to be significant causes of accidents, the sector commander emphasized.
He urged everyone involved—drivers, civic leaders, and government organizations—to make a commitment to transforming perceptions and saving lives.
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority’s Head of Operations, Mr. Babalola Sheba, denounced the health and environmental risks associated with gasoline scooping.
He cautioned that fuel spills damage agriculture and aquatic life, poison drinking water, and pollute the air, water, and soil.
Sheba claimed that the agency had decided to require all petroleum product tanker vehicles to have anti-spill safety valves and speed limiters installed because breathing in fuel fumes can also result in respiratory issues and skin irritation.
According to him, gasoline trucks now have a color-coding system implemented by the agency.
He revealed that kerosene is deep yellow, aviation fuel is black, biofuels are deep green, diesel is deep yellow and light blue, and gasoline is light blue.
A culture of routine vehicle inspection, attention to axle load limitations, and rigorous observance of traffic laws were all necessary to avoid gasoline scooping, according to Mr. Emmanuel Ogbanje, State Coordinator, Vehicle Inspection Officer, Computerized Vehicle Inspection Service, in Benue.
Ogbanje advised drivers to always have proper licenses, refrain from overloading, and report harmful activities, stating that safety is a continual process rather than a destination.
In order to foster a culture of road safety throughout the state and beyond, he urged greater public education and cooperation among interested parties.
