Just two days after a deadly tanker explosion claimed the lives of over 99 people in Niger State, another truck accident in the state has led to a similar incident, with residents rushing to scoop oil from the fallen vehicle.
The latest event occurred in Bida town on Monday, when a tanker carrying groundnut oil fell near the AYM Shafa filling station.
In a widely shared video, people, mainly young individuals, were seen collecting the oil that had spilled from the truck.
While some gathered the oil, others quickly fled to avoid any dangerous situation.
Residents in the area spoke about the incident.
Yinusa Jiya, a local, said that the individuals were not deterred by the previous tragedy, even though they initially thought the tanker might be carrying petrol.
Fatimah Mohammed, another eyewitness, confirmed that the tanker was indeed transporting groundnut oil.
This incident comes just days after the catastrophic tanker explosion near Dikko Junction in Gurara Local Government Area, which killed at least 98 people.
The death toll has continued to rise as more victims succumbed to injuries in the hospital.
In response to the situation, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the National Orientation Agency (NOA) to intensify its public awareness campaign against the dangerous practice of scooping fuel from fallen tankers.
The Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) has expressed concern over the high number of casualties and the extent of the injuries, while the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) confirmed that 86 bodies were buried in a mass grave on Sunday.
Several others remain hospitalized with severe burns.
