Niger Residents Risk Lives Again, Scoop Fuel from Another Fallen Tanker

• Just two days after a tanker explosion killed over 90 people in Niger State.

• Despite the recent disaster, young people were seen gathering around the truck, attempting to collect the fuel.

•   The incident has raised concerns about the recurring risks of fuel-related accidents in Nigerian communities.

Barely 48 hours after a devastating tanker explosion claimed the lives of over 90 people in Niger State, another alarming incident has occurred in Bida town, where residents gathered to scoop fuel from a fallen tanker.

The tanker, believed to be carrying groundnut oil, broke down in the community on Monday, attracting a crowd of residents.

In a widely shared video circulating online, young people were seen gathering around the truck, some attempting to scoop its contents while others fled the scene, seemingly aware of the potential danger.

The behaviour has raised concerns about the recurring risks of fuel-related accidents in communities across Nigeria.

Yinusa Jiya, a resident, told Premium Times, “The people were not even afraid despite earlier assumption that it was petrol.”

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Another eyewitness, Fatimah Mohammed, said the tanker was carrying groundnut oil. “It fell around AYM Shafa filling station yesterday (Monday) and residents stole huge amounts of the groundnut oil dripping from the tanker.”

The development came two days after the deadly tanker explosion that killed about 98 people around Dikko Junction, Gurara LGA, Niger State.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu mandated the National Orientation Agency (NOA) to step up a campaign against scooping during such situations.

The Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) expressed worry over the casualty figures and magnitude of burns.

FG Breaks Silence on Niger Petrol Tanker Fire, Condoles with Victims’ Families

The Federal Government has expressed its condolences to the government and people of Niger State following the recent petrol tanker explosion at Dikko Junction in Gurara Local Government Area.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Prof. Nantewe Yilwatda, described the incident as “tragic,” noting that it claimed many lives and destroyed the property of innocent citizens.

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