Owners of fuel tankers must be made by the Federal government of Nigeria to take out life insurance policies to cover prospective victims of fuel tanker explosions and must be held accountable for the circumstances responsible for the occurrences of such disasters just as State governments across Nigeria should carry out free quality control tests on all heavy vehicles carrying fuel into their states to ensure that they are in quality engineering condition.

The Rights group wondered why the ministries of information and national orientations in the central government and the 36 state governments are not doing tangible things to aggressively educate and enlighten the members of the public on the risks of scooping fuel that spilled on the highways when fuel tankers fall and empty their contents of inflammable Petroleum products on the highways. The National Orientation Agency and the equivalent public enlightenment agencies in the states across Nigeria should wake up from functional slumber and begin public engagement and enlightenment of the citizens on the dangers of scooping fuel on the road when accidents happen.

Besides, the Federal Government through the department of Federal fire service and the 36 states? departments of fire services should ensure that they regularly provide capacity building trainings to drivers of fuel tankers just as the Federal Road Safety Commission and the different Vehicles Inspectorate Officers should be assigned the additional mandates of providing effective oversight of Fuel tankers and heavy duty vehicles in the Country to ensure that these vehicles are serviceable and in top quality shape to ply the roads. Governments should build functional roads infrastructures and enforce strict laws to ban fuel tankers from driving through heavily populated areas in all of Nigeria and if possible, fuel tankers should be made to ply the roads only in the night.

In a media statement in response to these spate of fuel tanker explosions that have occurred in the country with regular but frightening frequency, the prominent civil Rights advocacy Group HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) also tasked the Federal ministry of Petroleum Resources, the Nigeroan National Petroleum Company (NNPCL) to build and maintain fuel pipelines to make it seamless for fuel products and gas to be supplied across the length and breadth of Nigeria with minimum risks to the lives of citizens. The armed forces, the Nigerian Civil Dence Corps and the police must be assigned the mandates to safeguard the pipelines carrying petrol to all parts of Nigeria to stop thieves from hijacking these petrol pipelines.

?HURIWA considers the lack of any sort of institutional response mechanisms by the government of Nigeria to address the disturbing trend of fuel tanker explosions in the country that have had devastating consequences as irresponsible, despicable and intolerable, just as we believe that a government that believes in the principle of accountability and transparency as the cornerstone of governance would have sprang up and implemented strategic and workable measures to stem the rising tide of fuel tanker explosions?.

?The mass killings of the Nigerian citizens through these avoidable logistical mistakes by owners of the fuel tankers and the poor regulatory frameworks on the side of Government to hold these owners of fuel tankers accountable for their carelessness, have combined to continue to allow these intolerable fuel tanker explosions to continue. These accidents must be checked and minimised without any further delay because these fuel tanker explosions leading to several casualties are crimes against humanity.?

Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko The National Coordinator of the HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) who endorsed the media statement, lamented that over 1,000 citizens have been burnt to their gruesome deaths as the direct consequences of these several fuel tanker explosions.

HURIWA recalled that a devastating tanker explosion occurred on the East-West Road in Rivers State on Friday night, April 26, 2024, killing at least five people and destroying over 120 vehicles. The incident happened along the Eleme axis of the road. Reports suggest that the tragedy was triggered when a tanker, navigating the dilapidated road, was hit by another heavy-duty vehicle, igniting flames and an explosion.

The ensuing inferno engulfed multiple vehicles on the road, with some occupants trapped and unable to escape the fire. Videos and witness accounts shared on social media paint a harrowing picture, with distraught voices decrying the massive destruction.

The explosion and resulting fire caused widespread destruction, with 120 vehicles burnt. Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara confirmed the incident.

A petrol tanker explosion occurred in Ore, Ondo State, on July 24, 2023, killing 20 persons, including a pregnant woman and three children. The incident occurred when a tanker fell and spilled its contents on the road, and people rushed to scoop fuel despite warnings.

Another tanker explosion occurred in Ore, Ondo State, on a Sunday evening (exact date not specified), killing eight persons who were scooping fuel from the fallen tanker. The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) confirmed the incident, stating that the tanker lost control due to overspeeding.

Both incidents highlight the risks and consequences of tanker explosions in Nigeria, often caused by human error, poor road conditions, or the actions of people scooping fuel from fallen tankers.

A fuel tanker explosion occurred in Agbor, Delta State, on January 5, 2025, killing at least five people and causing widespread damage. The tanker, carrying petrol, lost control and exploded.

The explosion engulfed nearby structures in flames, and residents fled in panic. Emergency responders were expected to begin rescue operations, but the extent of the damage was still unclear.

The Incident resulted in the deaths of at least five people, with an unknown number of injuries or additional damage. The explosion was a tragic event that affected the community in Agbor, Delta State.

A devastating tanker explosion occurred in Majiya village, Jigawa State, on Tuesday, October 15, 2024, resulting in the loss of 109 lives and injuring 54 others. The incident happened when a petroleum tanker fell and spilled its contents, which were then scooped up by villagers, leading to the explosion.

The victims were given a mass burial, with 107 bodies laid to rest. Thousands attended the burial, including government officials, political leaders, and traditional rulers. President Bola Tinubu directed the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to lead a delegation to Jigawa State to assess the situation and provide aid.

The Incident has sparked widespread condolences and sympathies from top government officials, including former President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Kashim Shettima, and various governors. The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Heineken Lokpobiri, has directed the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to investigate the incident.

A tanker explosion occurred in Suleja, Niger State, on January 20, 2025, resulting in the death toll rising to 98 and injuring 69.

In response, President Bola Tinubu directed the immediate transfer of victims to tertiary medical centers for better care. Consequently, 20 victims were admitted to Gwagwalada Specialist Hospital in Abuja, while two additional victims were transferred to the Federal Medical Centre in Jabi.

The Niger State Government had also expressed gratitude to the Federal Government for its prompt response to the incident. The Ministry of Information and National Orientation will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates.

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