The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has called on the National Assembly to criminalise the act of scooping fuel from fallen tankers.
The announcement was made in a statement posted on the NOA’s official X account attributed to the Director General of NOA, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu.
The call comes amid growing concerns over repeated fuel tanker accidents following a recent incident at Apapa.
What the NOA is saying
Issa-Onilu condemned the practice in the strongest terms, describing it as dangerous, irresponsible, and wholly unacceptable in a modern society. He highlighted that the risks extend beyond those directly involved, threatening motorists, nearby communities, emergency responders, and national infrastructure.
“This is not poverty. Poverty does not take away the sense in people’s heads, nor does it eliminate judgement or the instinct for self-preservation. What we are witnessing is a conscious, reckless, and criminal disregard for human life and public safety,” he said.
According to the DG, NOA has long conducted nationwide sensitisation campaigns to educate Nigerians on the dangers of fuel scooping, yet some individuals continue to engage in the act despite repeated warnings.
Issa-Onilu urged the National Assembly to enact legislation explicitly criminalising fuel scooping and prescribing clear, deterrent penalties for offenders. He said that public enlightenment must now be complemented with enforcement measures to end this deadly behaviour.
Why this matters
Fuel tanker accidents caused by scooping pose a severe risk to public safety and national infrastructure. Nigeria has repeatedly experienced mass casualties from such incidents.
In one of the most tragic recent incidents, a petrol tanker overturned near Suleja in Niger State in January 2025, and more than 100 people who had gathered to collect spilled fuel were killed when the vehicle exploded, injuring dozens of others.
According to reports, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Benue Sector Command disclosed that in 2024 alone, at least 411 Nigerians lost their lives while scooping fuel from fallen tankers.
By criminalising the act, the government aims to reduce preventable deaths, improve emergency response safety, and promote a culture of lawfulness and self-preservation.
What you should know
The call by the National Orientation Agency for the criminalization of fuel tanker scooping comes as a response to dangerous practice of Nigerians when a diesel-laden tanker overturned on the Tincan Liverpool Bridge in the Apapa area of Lagos State.
The tanker’s cargo spilled onto the road, prompting residents and passersby to rush to collect the highly flammable fuel in jerrycans and containers.
Emergency responders quickly arrived on the scene to contain the situation, preventing what could have been a catastrophic explosion.
