Fuel scooping, recurring deaths – Daily Trust

Many individuals have been feared useless yesterday, whereas 10 others sustained various levels of harm when a fallen gas tanker exploded at Oluku on the Benin-Lagos Road in Edo State.

Daily Trust couldn’t independently verify the variety of fatalities. However, some safety officers, who declined to talk formally, mentioned 5 individuals have been reportedly killed within the incident.

Oluku is a busy space the place drivers of articulated and heavy-duty vans usually park to relaxation earlier than persevering with their journeys.

The incident occurred close to Oluku Market, destroying a number of outlets, homes and automobiles within the space.

The explosion occurred within the early hours of Thursday when a petroleum tanker trying to make a U-turn close to the market fell and spilled its contents onto the highway.

Witnesses mentioned that shortly after the tanker fell, residents and passers-by rushed to the scene and started scooping gas from the highway and drainage channels.

One of the witnesses, who recognized himself merely as John, mentioned he had joined some individuals who have been scooping the gas earlier than safety operatives arrived on the scene and cordoned off the world.

He mentioned the truck proprietor had introduced one other tanker to evacuate the remaining gas from the fallen car when it exploded, leaving a number of victims burnt past recognition and plenty of others injured.

According to him, 10 injured victims have been rushed to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) for medical consideration, whereas some corpses have been deposited on the hospital’s mortuary.

He mentioned, “I used to be additionally amongst these scooping the gas. I escaped by the whiskers. A soldier known as me and drew my consideration to the truth that the climate was sizzling and that the best way individuals have been dashing to scoop the gas may ignite a hearth.

“As I seemed again after he spoke to me, the tanker burst into flames, and folks across the space scampered for security. I thank the soldier; if not, I might have been burnt by now.

“Two men who were directly under the tanker were burnt, while shops built on the drainage were also razed. We are yet to ascertain the number of people who died.”

Another witness, Juliet Philip, blamed the incident on the refusal of some residents to heed warnings in opposition to scooping gas from the fallen tanker.

She mentioned the perpetrators ignored some individuals, who tried to cease them from the act, as they reportedly argued that petrol was promoting for N1,500 per litre they usually supposed to promote what they collected.

Philip defined that many individuals have been trapped when the tanker exploded, including that a number of outlets at Oluku Market and automobiles parked within the space have been destroyed by the inferno.

“The market was seriously affected because the fuel spilled into the drainage channels within the market. Some people also scooped fuel and stored it in their shops,” she mentioned.

The witness defined that some residents refused to go away the scene regardless of efforts by safety personnel to drive them away, including that some even attacked the operatives.

“Even with the presence of soldiers and other security agents, some people refused to leave. When the security personnel chased them away, some would return and attack the military and other personnel, including road safety officers,” he mentioned.

When our reporter visited UBTH, the hospital administration had mobilised emergency personnel to deal with victims of the explosion delivered to the power.

The Chief Medical Director of UBTH, Prof. Idia Ize-Iyamu, was seen main the emergency response staff throughout the accident and emergency and burns items to stabilise severely injured victims.

A supply on the hospital, who requested anonymity, mentioned a number of victims with burns have been delivered to the power by officers of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the police.

The supply mentioned he counted about 10 individuals with various levels of burns delivered to the emergency unit, whereas some corpses have been taken to the mortuary.

“The Chief Medical Director was leading the emergency response to ensure that the victims were stabilised,” he mentioned.

‘Casualty figure not yet known’

The Executive Secretary of the Edo State Emergency Management Agency (EdoSEMA), Jerry Idahosa, mentioned the company couldn’t instantly present the precise casualty determine as a result of emergency responders have been nonetheless on the scene battling the hearth.

He mentioned, “It is by tomorrow (today) that we can ascertain the number of casualties because the fire is still burning. However, we have three persons who sustained injuries, including a soldier and two other persons who were close to the truck when it exploded. They are receiving treatment at the hospital.”

The Edo State Sector Commander of the FRSC, Preye Ezekiel Bedford, mentioned FRSC officers, law enforcement officials, firefighters, the Edo State Traffic Management Agency and army personnel have been on the scene to handle visitors and help with the emergency response.

Although he didn’t disclose the variety of fatalities, Bedford confirmed that 10 individuals sustained accidents within the incident.

Recent lethal tanker explosions

At least two individuals have been killed and one different injured on Sunday, February 8, 2026, when a petrol-laden tanker exploded alongside the Ihiala axis of the Onitsha-Owerri Road, reverse the FRSC workplace of the Federal Road Safety Corps.

The explosion occurred after the tanker collided with a automobile and rammed right into a barricade, spilling its contents and triggering an enormous fireplace.

Witnesses reported that the tanker was travelling at excessive velocity when it misplaced management and crashed into the barricade.

Similarly, two individuals misplaced their lives on Saturday, March 21, after a fuel tanker collided with a tipper truck within the Ajah axis of Lagos. Several properties, together with warehouses and roadside outlets, have been additionally destroyed.

The Controller General of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye, mentioned the oncoming dashing tipper truck from the Epe finish rammed from behind right into a stationary 30-tonne fuel truck that failed to tug over from the freeway.

No fewer than 45 individuals have been killed and 62 others injured in a petroleum tanker explosion on October 21, 2025, at Essa neighborhood alongside the Bida–Badegi–Agaie Road in Katcha Local Government Area of Niger State.

Head of Operations, NEMA, Minna Office, Hussaini Isah, disclosed that each one the victims have been affected whereas scooping spilled gas from the crashed tanker.

“All the victims were affected as a result of scooping fuel. Some of the victims were initially evacuated to Essa Primary Health Care, Idris Private Hospital, but were later moved to Umaru Sanda General Hospital, Bida, and the Federal Medical Centre, Bida. Fourteen critically injured persons were referred to Gwagwalada Specialist Hospital for further treatment,” he had mentioned.

Earlier that month, not less than two individuals reportedly died in a petroleum tanker explosion in Agbor in Ika LGA of Delta state.

At least 98 individuals have been confirmed useless and 69 injured from the petrol tanker explosion that occurred in Gurara LGA of Niger State on January 20, 2025. About 20 outlets have been additionally destroyed in the course of the incident.

It was learnt that the explosion occurred when a tanker conveying petrol crashed and one other tanker was delivered to switch the contents.

No fewer than 209 individuals have been confirmed useless within the October 14, 2024 tanker explosion in Majia, Jigawa State.

The chairman of an investigation committee set as much as probe the incident, DIG Hafizu Muhammad Inuwa (Retd), mentioned findings revealed that a number of elements, together with broken velocity bumps and potholes close to the scene, night time driving, and extreme velocity, contributed to the hearth.

“It was noted that the fire likely ignited due to friction between metallic containers and hard surfaces as victims attempted to scoop spilled fuel,” he added.

What is driving scooping?

The Head of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Operations Office in Benin, Kenoma Ojuedeire, attributed the rising observe of gas scooping to greed, lamenting that Nigerians had didn’t study from earlier tragedies.

“For me, I think this is a result of greed because I don’t see why a normal person would go and scoop fuel, knowing that death is knocking. If you watch some of the videos on social media, you hear people saying that a litre of fuel is N1,500. Because of N1,500, they go and face death,” he added.

Ojuedeire known as for elevated and sustained public sensitisation to coach residents on the risks of scooping gas from fallen tankers.

Similarly, a civil rights activist, Kola Edokpayi, attributed the event to greed.

Kola, who’s the President of the Talawaka Parliament, mentioned poverty alone couldn’t clarify the harmful observe, noting that some poor individuals intentionally prevented scooping gas as a result of they understood the dangers concerned.

“I say it is greed because there are people who are poor but desist from scooping fuel. When one is greedy, the person tends to ignore the attendant consequences of scooping fuel from a fallen tanker, even though many people have died in similar incidents,” he mentioned.

Edokpayi known as for sustained reorientation and public sensitisation by the federal government and people to cut back deaths related to scooping spilled gas.

Sociologist Collins Gambo blamed the rising desperation amongst Nigerians, declining social values and financial hardship for the recurring observe of scooping gas from fallen tankers, warning that individuals are risking their lives in a bid to outlive.

Gambo mentioned the observe mirrored deeper social and financial issues that would not be addressed via arrests alone, urging the federal government to enhance residents’ welfare and sort out the situations that drive individuals to have interaction within the harmful act.

Describing the act from a sociological perspective, Gambo likened it to “anomic suicide,” an idea related to the breakdown of social norms and established social order.

According to him, financial hardship stays one of many main causes individuals threat their lives to scoop gas, as many wrestle to satisfy their fundamental wants and see the exercise as a chance to make fast cash.

“People do not have the means of survival. They want to get this fuel so that they can sell and make a living temporarily,” Gambo mentioned.

He argued that the desperation to outlive had made some individuals disregard the risks related to amassing gas from accident scenes, notably after they believed the proceeds may present momentary aid from their monetary difficulties.

The sociologist additionally recognized the erosion of cultural values and the declining willingness of individuals to sympathise with others in misery as elements contributing to the observe.

He mentioned tanker accidents ought to ordinarily entice public sympathy as a result of they usually lead to important monetary losses to the house owners, however some individuals now see such incidents as alternatives for private good points.

“People should empathise, but the empathy is not there, because there is a breakdown in cultural norms. When somebody loses something, people empathise; they want to take advantage of that situation,” he mentioned.

Gambo additional linked gas scooping to the perceived divide between the rich and the poor, arguing that some Nigerians view the observe as a chance to learn from sources they consider are concentrated within the fingers of privileged people.

He mentioned the notion that rich enterprise house owners and influential members of society have been detached to the struggles of abnormal Nigerians may encourage some individuals to justify taking gas from accident scenes.

However, Gambo burdened that addressing the observe required each particular person duty and deliberate authorities intervention.

He urged Nigerians to point out compassion in the direction of victims of tanker accidents and their house owners reasonably than exploit their misfortune for private acquire.

He additionally known as on the federal government to enhance regulation enforcement with sensible measures to enhance residents’ dwelling situations, noting that efforts to handle the underlying causes of desperation may assist discourage individuals from risking their lives to gather gas.