VP commiserates with victims of Enugu tanker accident

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has called for a holistic and multisectoral approach to address the persistent issue of fuel tanker crashes and the alarming fatalities caused by fuel scooping.   
 
The FRSC Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed, made the call during a press briefing in Abuja on Monday. On January 25, 2024, 18 people were killed in a tanker explosion in Enugu State, while on January 18, 2024, 98 people died in a tanker explosion in Nigeria State.
 
Mohammed outlined the complex nature of the problem, stressing the need for collaboration among key stakeholders, including transport unions, fire services, and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
  
According to Mohammed, the causes of fuel tanker crashes are multifaceted, involving human error, vehicle integrity, mechanical failures, and the lack of precautionary safety measures. He explained that the transportation of petroleum products across vast distances increases the likelihood of crashes.
 
“There is nowhere else where petroleum products are transported by trucks over such long distances by road. It is inherently dangerous,” he said.
  
The corps marshal highlighted the challenges posed by independent tanker drivers who often disregard risk areas and rest stops designed to ensure safety.  

MEANWHILE, Vice President Kashim Shettima has commiserated with the people and the government of Enugu State over the fuel tanker fire which claimed lives following an accident in the state, saying it’s time to put an end to avoidable tanker accidents and explosions.
  
The fuel tanker had, on Saturday, veered off course and burst into flames along the Ugwu-Onyeama section of the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway.
  
In a condolence message to families of those who lost their lives and the injured, the Vice President noted that President Bola Tinubu is concerned by the incident and other tanker explosions in recent times.
  
“It was with a heart full of sadness that I received the news of the fuel tanker explosion that occurred on Saturday, January 25, 2025, in Ugwu Onyeama Local Council of Enugu State.

I am deeply saddened that another tanker accident would lead to the loss of lives of Nigerians, leaving others injured,” he said.
  
Shettima promised that following the President’s directive, the government will engage relevant agencies, including the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), on possible ways the road traffic authorities, as well as federal and state transportation ministries, can cooperate to urgently forestall further tanker accidents and explosions across the country.”