By Sam Erhunmwunsee (Asaba)
The Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, has strongly condemned the dangerous act of scooping fuel from a fallen tanker, following an incident on Monday, January 20, at Liverpool Bridge, Apapa, Lagos State.
In a statement issued by the Director of Communication and Media, Mr Bala Musa, the NOA described the act as reckless, irresponsible, and completely unacceptable, warning that it poses a severe and avoidable threat to human life, public safety, and critical national infrastructure.
Mallam Issa-Onilu stated that the danger extends far beyond those directly involved in fuel scooping, emphasising that motorists, nearby communities, emergency responders, and public assets are also exposed to a grave risk.
“The collateral danger to motorists, surrounding communities, emergency personnel, and critical infrastructure is enormous and far outweighs any perceived benefit,” he said.
The NOA Director General noted that the agency has, over the years, carried out sustained nationwide sensitisation and public enlightenment campaigns to educate Nigerians on the dangers of fuel scooping and similar high-risk behaviours.
However, he expressed concern that despite repeated warnings, advocacy efforts, and value-reorientation programmes, some individuals continue to engage in what he described as a dangerous and life-threatening practice.
Mallam Issa-Onilu stated unequivocally that the behaviour cannot be justified under any circumstances, dismissing attempts to attribute it to poverty.
“This is not poverty. Poverty does not remove a person’s sense of judgment or instinct for self-preservation. What we are witnessing is a conscious, reckless, and criminal disregard for human life and public safety,” he said.
He recalled several past tragedies across the country where fallen fuel tankers exploded after people attempted to scoop fuel, leading to massive infernos and the loss of hundreds of lives.
According to him, these repeated incidents underline the fact that the menace is recurrent, preventable, and must no longer be tolerated.
The NOA Director General, therefore, called on the National Assembly to urgently initiate and pass comprehensive legislation that explicitly criminalises fuel scooping from fallen tankers, with clear and deterrent penalties for offenders.
He stressed that public enlightenment alone is no longer sufficient and must be reinforced with strong legal and enforcement mechanisms to end the deadly practice.
“Human life is sacred and priceless. No situation, excuse, or momentary gain should justify conduct that places lives in immediate danger,” he said.
Mallam Issa-Onilu urged Nigerians to collectively reject actions that repeatedly result in mass casualties, national trauma, and avoidable loss of lives, while reaffirming the agency’s commitment to intensifying value-reorientation and safety advocacy nationwide.
Edited by Maxwell Oyekunle
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