…As petrol distributors, transporters crisis may lead to scarcity – PETROAN
By Charles Ebi
Minister of Petroleum Resources ,Oil, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, has sympathise with the government and people of Niger State, following the tragic explosion of a petrol-ladened tanker at Dikko Junction along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway.
The unfortunate incident, which resulted in the loss of lives of over 50 people and left several others injured, has been described as a heartbreaking tragedy by the Minister.
In a statement issued at the weekend, Lokpobiri extended his heartfelt condolences to the families of those who lost their loved ones in the explosion.
“I am deeply saddened by this tragic event, and my thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families. May the souls of the departed find eternal rest, and may God grant their families the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss”, he said.
The Minister also prayed for the speedy recovery of those who sustained injuries in the accident.
“To the injured, I pray for their swift and complete healing. This is a time for us to stand together as a nation in solidarity with all those affected by this tragedy”, he added.
While emphasizing the need for enhanced safety measures to minimize the occurrence of such incidents, Lokpobiri urged citizens to exercise caution during emergencies involving petrol-ladened tankers.
He stated, “As much as we strive to implement safety measures across the petroleum supply chain, I must strongly appeal to the public to avoid approaching petrol-ladened tankers in the event of an accident. I have appealed this severally, the risks are enormous, and lives are too precious to be lost unnecessarily”.
While noting that he has directed NMDPRA to commence investigation on the incident, the Minister reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to ensuring the safety of petroleum transportation across the country, calling for sustained collaboration among relevant stakeholders to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
“This tragedy reminds us of the importance of collective responsibility. We must all work together,the government, transport operators, and citizens to ensure that safety remains paramount in all aspects of petroleum distribution”, he noted.
The Minister assured the people of Niger State of the Ministry’s support during this difficult period, reiterating his unwavering commitment to promoting safety and well-being in all operations under his purview.
Recall that No fewer than 50 persons lost their lives in a petrol tanker explosion on Saturday morning along Dikko-Maje Road in the Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State.
The Niger State Federal Road Safety Commander, Kumar Tsukwam, while confirming the incident said people were scooping the spilled fuel.
Tsukwam said those who went to scoop fuel and those who went to rescue them were engulfed by fire. “More than 50 people lost their lives in the tragic incident”, he said.
He assured all that personnel of the corps and other sister agencies were on the ground for the rescue mission.
Similarly, the Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, Abdullahi Baba-Arah, said the explosion occurred at about 9: am on Saturday.
He said the incident happened when a tanker loaded with Premium Motor Spirit crashed, and an attempt was made to transfer its contents to another tanker.
Baba-Arah stated that in the process, the PMS came into contact with a generator being used to pump the fuel, triggering an explosion that claimed over 50 lives.
He added that many other persons were injured, while properties worth millions of Naira were destroyed.
Baba-Arah said NSEMA, in collaboration with the National Emergency Management Agency ,NEMA, Suleja LGA Emergency Committee, and volunteers, are currently carrying out search, rescue, and recovery operations.
He said, “Those injured have been moved to the hospital for treatment while efforts are being made to recover the corpses of the deceased”.
He urged residents of the area to remain calm and cooperate with emergency responders as they work to mitigate the effects of the disaster.
In October 2024, a similar tanker explosion in Majiya town, along the Kano-Hadejia expressway in Taura LGA of Jigawa State, left 209 people dead and 38 injured.
Meanwhile, the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association ,PETROAN, has called on the Rivers State governments to intervene in a crisis involving distributors and transport operators in the oil and gas sector, or else it could lead to scarcity of Petroleum products in the state.
In a statement issued on Saturday by the National Public Relations Officer of PETROAN, Joseph Obele, the association said the crisis is being fueled by the “obstructive activities” of another association, the Association of Distributors and Transporters of Petroleum Products ,ADITOP.
PETROAN described ADITOP as “a new group trying to enter the oil and gas sector without following proper procedures… They are using Rivers State as a testing ground for their nationwide expansion”.
PETROAN argued that ADITOP is not endorsed in the oil and gas sector, specifically by stakeholders such as the Minister of Petroleum and the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers ,NUPENG.
“NUPENG has already suspended all petroleum products lifting in Rivers State due to an internal union crisis between ADITOP and PTD.
“The situation has led to a shutdown of the oil and gas sector in Rivers State since January 16, with potentially severe economic implications for the state.
“PETROAN is advising the government and stakeholders to intervene quickly to resolve the crisis and prevent any disasters that could lead to billions of losses in revenue, lives, and properties”, the statement read.
Obele stressed in his statement that If the crisis is not resolved, “it can lead to serious fuel scarcity in Rivers State, causing hardship to residents and further economic losses. Therefore, prompt action is necessary to prevent this scenario”.
PETROAN says it is in solidarity with NUPENG and its Petroleum Tanker Drivers ,PTD, branch.
“In a show of unity, the National President of PETROAN Dr Billy Gillis Harry has directed all members of PETROAN in Rivers State to show solidarity to NUPENG and PTD.
“This directive is aimed at supporting the two unions in their efforts to resolve the crisis and restore normalcy to the oil and gas sector in the state”, the statement concluded.
In December last year, the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners, ,NARTO, and the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria ,IPMAN, disowned ADITOP.
The two notable associations separately argued that ADITOP and those associated with it were inimical to industrial harmony in the downstream oil sector.
