Fuel Scooping is Death Trap, not Solution to Poverty, Stakeholders Warn

The tanker explosion along the Benin-Lagos Expressway near Oluku, Benin City, Edo State, which claimed lives and left several others with severe burns, has again highlighted the need for intensified sensitisation on the dangers of scooping fuel from accident scenes.

Despite repeated warnings by emergency responders and security agencies, many Nigerians still risk their lives gathering around fallen petroleum tankers to collect spilled fuel, a practice safety experts describe as a suicide mission.

Stakeholders have called on the National Orientation Agency, state and local governments, traditional institutions and community leaders to scale up awareness campaigns on the deadly consequences of fuel scooping.

According to safety experts, petroleum vapour is highly flammable and can ignite instantly from the slightest spark or static electricity. Attempts to siphon fuel from damaged tankers also obstruct emergency and road safety officials from securing accident scenes and carrying out rescue operations.

—NUPENG Tanker Drivers Commended—

Amid recurring incidents, stakeholders commended the Petroleum Tanker Drivers Branch of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers for its efforts to promote safety in transportation and distribution of petroleum products.

The union has invested in nationwide safety campaigns, seminars, training and refresher courses to improve drivers’ competence, reduce accidents and strengthen compliance with safety standards.

Through various initiatives, PTD has entrenched discipline and educated drivers on vehicle operations, road safety regulations, defensive driving and dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol or illicit substances.

The branch has conducted safety training across Lagos, Warri, Kaduna and Port Harcourt zones and maintained partnerships with the Federal Road Safety Corps, Standards Organisation of Nigeria and other regulators.

Observers argued that while tanker drivers are often blamed when accidents occur, many underlying causes stem from systemic challenges beyond their control.

—Difficult Operating Environment—

Petroleum tanker drivers remain among the most vulnerable transport workers, navigating poor road infrastructure, security threats, harsh working conditions and long-distance journeys to ensure supply for domestic, commercial and industrial use.

Many highways are plagued by potholes, collapsed shoulders, poor drainage and deteriorating surfaces that expose tankers carrying 33,000 to 45,000 litres of fuel to risks.

Drivers spend 12 to 24 hours behind the wheel across multiple states under challenging weather and traffic conditions. Experts say such schedules increase fatigue, impair concentration and heighten accident risks.

Operators also face harassment and extortion from unauthorised groups and criminal elements who exploit gridlocks and breakdowns.

Health concerns including prolonged sitting, poor nutrition, heat exposure, stress and inadequate rest also affect drivers’ well-being.

—Call For Government Intervention—

While acknowledging Federal Government efforts to improve infrastructure and enforcement, stakeholders said more coordinated action is required from all tiers of government.

They urged state and local governments to complement federal interventions by maintaining feeder roads, improving emergency response, installing safety infrastructure and supporting enlightenment campaigns.

They also called for more rest areas for drivers, strengthened vehicle inspection, improved road maintenance and stricter penalties against those who endanger lives by scooping fuel.

—FRSC, Partners Praised—

Commendation was also extended to FRSC and industry operators for technology-driven measures including onboard cameras to monitor driver behaviour and discourage speeding.

The push for standardised certification, periodic health screening and mandatory refresher training was welcomed as critical to improving safety.

Stakeholders stressed that reducing tanker-related fatalities requires collective effort.

“The loss of lives in many tanker incidents is often compounded not only by the accident itself but by fuel scooping. Public education must be intensified, infrastructure improved and safety standards strengthened. Tanker drivers should be supported, not condemned, for performing one of the most demanding and hazardous jobs in the nation’s economy,” a stakeholder said.