The recent tanker explosion in Majia, Jigawa State, calls for stricter safety measures to address the recurring dangerous movements of tankers across Nigerian roads.
Development Diaries reports that the death toll from the petrol tanker explosion in Majia town has risen to 180 as of 20 October.
It is understood that the incident occurred on 15 October, when a truck carrying petrol, travelling from Kano to Nguru in Yobe State, exploded in Majia.
Another tanker explosion which destroyed an unspecified number of houses, five vehicles and left two persons injured happened 24 hours later in Ibafo, Obafemi-Owode area of Ogun State.
According to data from the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), more than 1,500 tanker accidents happened in Nigeria between 2015 and 2020.
This shows that there is an urgent need for increased safety measures.
One primary cause of tanker explosions is the poor condition of road infrastructure, which increases the risk of accidents for heavy-duty vehicles like petrol tankers.
Bad roads, potholes, and unmarked sections make it difficult for drivers to navigate safely, especially when carrying highly flammable products like petrol.
Coupled with this, many tankers are often old and poorly maintained, creating a higher likelihood of mechanical failure, such as brake issues, that can lead to accidents and fuel spills.
Another factor contributing to these explosions is the illegal activity of fuel scooping by residents when tankers fall or are involved in accidents.
In desperate attempts to collect free fuel, people often disregard safety, unknowingly exposing themselves to fatal risks.
The lack of public awareness about the dangers of fuel scooping, as well as the absence of rapid response from emergency services to cordon off accident sites, worsens the situation.
Another issue to look at is the social and economic desperation that drives people to take such risks. This highlights more general concerns about unemployment and poverty.
While Nigeria has regulations to check the transportation of hazardous materials like petrol, enforcement is weak. The FRSC and other regulatory bodies often struggle to ensure compliance due to understaffing, insufficient resources, and corruption.
For instance, safety checks on tankers, driver training, and vehicle inspection programmes are inconsistently applied, leaving many dangerous vehicles on the roads. Additionally, the penalties for companies and drivers found violating safety protocols are often too lenient to serve as a real deterrent.
To prevent future incidents, Development Diaries calls on the FRSC to enforce safety measures in the transportation of flammable materials.
These measures should include mandatory, regular maintenance checks for tankers, more rigorous driver training programmes, and the imposition of heavy penalties for companies that fail to comply with safety standards.
Also, we urge the National Orientation Agency (NOA) to prioritise educational campaigns on the dangers of fuel scooping, particularly in rural areas where these incidents often occur.
We also call for reforms involving the installation of automatic shut-off valves to prevent fuel spills during accidents.
Additionally, the government must work to address the root causes of poverty, as economic desperation continues to drive risky behaviours that result in preventable deaths.
Photo source: AFP
