By: Bayero Ade
In Bida town, Niger State, residents were seen rushing to collect groundnut oil from a tanker that overturned near the Shafa filling station in the Esso area.
As reported by Afripost, the tanker, initially mistaken for a fuel carrier due to its proximity to the filling station, was later confirmed to be transporting groundnut oil. Despite the potential dangers associated with such incidents, locals used buckets and jerry cans to gather the spilt oil.
This incident, which occurred on Tuesday morning, follows a devastating tanker explosion just days earlier on the Dikko-Maje Road near the Badeggi filling station in Suleja Local Government Area. The explosion tragically claimed the lives of 98 people.
Reports from AFRIPOST revealed that the explosion occurred while efforts were underway to transfer Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) from the overturned tanker. The resulting fire caused widespread destruction and left behind charred remains.
Attempts by AFRIPOST to contact Wasiu Abiodun, the spokesperson for the Niger Police Command, for comment were unsuccessful as his phone was unreachable.
This incident highlights a persistent danger in Nigeria, where people have tragically lost their lives in similar circumstances while attempting to salvage goods from overturned tankers. A similar explosion in Jigawa State in October 2024 claimed 105 lives and left 70 others injured.
Authorities and safety experts continue to warn the public about the dangers of approaching overturned tankers, regardless of the contents, to avoid further loss of life and destruction.
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