By joshua 
Revealed: Tanker Explosion Account For Many Deaths Nationwide, As KOSEMA, NEMA strategizes in Kogi.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has called for precautionary actions against tanker accidents and fire disaster in the country.
The agency said tanker explosion alone accounted for over 1,500, while many other deaths was linked to fire disasters in the country.
NEMA Deputy Director, Zakari Abubakar who spoke in Lokoja at a One Day Public Awareness program on Tanker Explosion and Fire Disasters organized by the Kogi State Emergency Management Agency (KOSEMA) specifically warned against scooping of fuel from fallen tankers, said the act has caused more damage than gain.
“Today’s gathering is borne out of NEMA’s determination to, in collaboration with critical stakeholders strengthen the disaster management framework with a view to enhancing a culture of preparedness and; community resilience to disasters in the country. This sensitization, is one of the numerous efforts of National Emergency – Management Agency that seek to address Nigeria’s vulnerability to fuel tanker related accident—through early action, risk awareness, and coordinated response planning at Federal, State, LGA and community levels.
“Fuel tanker explosion and accidents have taken a toll in Nigeria, often caused by multiplicity of factors ranging from poor state of the roads, badly maintained vehicles to recklessness on the side of drivers. Statistics revealed that from January 2009 to October 2024, over a hundred tanker accidents leading to more than 1,500 deaths were recorded.
“More recently, precisely in Niger State, a tanker accident led to death of more than 80 persons with dozens, severely injured.
“In Agbor Delta State, 5 persons were killed on January 2025 when a tanker exploded after losing control and In Jigawa State, a tanker explosion of October, 2024 killed more than 150 persons.
“Considering the multifactorial causes of tanker accident including incompetent drivers, bad roads, On-street parking, Overloading, brake failure, scooping fuel from fallen tankers, fuel stations within residential areas —in Nigeria, urgent steps must be taken to avert or mitigate the impact of future occurrences.
“This program will unravel common causes of Tanker accident and emphasize on – effective prevention, preparedness and response strategies.
“I must reiterate that the culture of fuel scooping from fallen tankers should be highly condemned in strong terms.”
The executive Secretary, Kogi State Emergency Management Agency, Mouktar Atimah said the state will continue to be responsive to disaster issues.
He said machinery are being put in place to ensure continuous sensitization on fire disasters and tanker explosion, said the state has mapped out area prone to such occurrences.
“We have form basis for awareness creation across Local Government and community levels. We have begun the start of a robust media engagement strategy, and public sensitization to reengineer existing disaster management.”
The KOSEMA BOSS urged the participants to actively participate in the technical session in order to gain insight into having a seamless interagency service delivery, as far as disaster management is concerned.
The Executive Secretary thank the Director General NEMA for placing and choosing the State as a priority for starting the awareness on Tanker Accidents.
The KOSEMA BOSS said the State is a major transit from North and South, lamented many ghastly tanker accidents that occurred in Felele and other parts of the State.
He noted that across the North Central States of Nigeria, Tanker Disaster is becoming frequent, lamented the devastating effect such accidents cause.
He used the medium to call on the necessary agencies for aid for victims of fire disaster in the State, praised
Gov. Ododo for making it a priority to protect lives and properties, disclosed of the Governor’s directive that led to the working relationships existing between SEMA with the Kogi State Specialist Hospital.
He added that the Governor has repositioned KOSEMA, said the agency gave out N34.2m as compensation to victims of GSM Village Disaster in Lokoja.
Similarly, the Governor also gave out compensation to victims of Agojeju fire disaster in Omala LGA to the tune of N25m.
He expressed happiness that following the proactive action of KOSEMA no death was recorded in the last year flood, praised the administration for providing relief to people affected,
He mentioned that the State Government has equally promised to sponsor all babies born during the flood in relief camps even after taking over bills of the babies delivered.
The SEMA Boss commended Red Cross for it collaboration in rescue.
In his remarks before declaring the workshop open, the State Deputy Governor, Comr. Joel Oyibo Salifu, represented by the permanent secretary office, Ochu Omeiza Philips, said the State takes issues of safety and security issues with all the seriousness it deserves.
He lamented the Issues of fire outbreak that is becoming alarming, attributed it to migration from conventional methods of cooking, unsafe practices, said when curtailed, will reduce issues of fire tanker accidents in the State drastically.