Tragedy averted as fuel tanker crashes in Lokoja

By Thompson Yamput

A major tragedy was averted in Kogi State on Friday evening after security operatives swiftly responded to a fuel tanker accident along the Felele Expressway in Lokoja, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has confirmed.

According to Mr. Tenimu Etuku, the FRSC Sector Commander in Kogi, the incident occurred around 5 p.m. near the Crusher area when a fuel-laden truck heading to Abuja got detached from its head and rolled into a ditch.

“Nobody was hurt or killed in the accident. The tanker driver and his assistant escaped unhurt,” Etuku told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

He said FRSC officials immediately arrived at the scene and called for reinforcements from the Police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and a Mobile Police unit to secure the area.

“The security cover was necessary to prevent residents from gaining access to the tanker and attempting to scoop fuel, which could trigger a fire outbreak,” he explained.

Etuku warned against a repeat of similar tragedies in Niger and Jigawa States, where lives were lost after people tried to scoop fuel from fallen tankers.

“Some individuals initially attempted to scoop the fuel before our personnel arrived, but they were promptly dispersed,” he said, adding that the site had been fully cordoned off by security agencies and community leaders.

“The community leaders and the security agencies have agreed to ensure nobody goes into the ditch to scoop fuel,” Etuku added.

He appealed to residents of Crusher community to resist any temptation to collect the spilled fuel, warning that such an act could result in a deadly fire disaster.