Since the Jesse, Delta State, pipeline explosion of October 18, 1998, in which 1,082 persons were killed, one would have thought that Nigerians had learnt enough lesson not just to run but flee from scenes of fuel leakages or explosions. This is so, given the sheer number of casualties of the tragedy, especially with graphic pictures of their burnt bodies. People who wanted to learn would have said never again to such experience, no matter the temptation.

Unfortunately, we have recorded many similar incidents with varying casualties from several other fuel explosions in several parts of the country.

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) said there were more than 1,500 such accidents of fuel tankers overturning, resulting in 535 deaths in 2020 alone.

The most recent Incident of tanker explosion in which scores also died while scooping up fuel from a tanker that overturned occurred at Majiya Village in Taura Local Government Area of Jigawa State early on Wednesday morning. As at the time of writing this editorial, at least 153 victims had reportedly been buried and about 100 hospitalised due to injuries they sustained.

Jigawa State Police Command spokesman DSP Lawal Shiisu Adams who confirmed the incident in a statement said: “Today (Wednesday) a petrol tanker from Port Harcourt going to Nguru in Yobe State reached Majiya village of Taura Local Government Area at around 12:30 am., the driver lost control at Majiya and falls down.

“The content in the tanker flooded gutters and drainages in village. The villagers started fetching the fuel” when suddenly the petrol burst into flames and the tanker exploded.

It Is unfortunate that 153 lives were lost to this yet avoidable tragedy that nothing can justify. Not even poverty that some people adduce as the cause. Things are hard, no doubt. But some people had been engaging in this act ever before things became tough in the country. Yet, there is nobody that does not know that life has no duplicate. Those who died from the incident can no longer be revived, even as life cannot be the same again for some of those who sustained injuries.

It is bad enough that articulated vehicles continue to fall on our roads due to a lot of reasons that ordinarily should worry us. For instance, what is the state of many of these vehicles? Are they roadworthy in the first place? Are their drivers having enough rest? And what about the roads, are they in good shape? There is no doubt that many of what we pass for roads in several parts of the country are death traps. Moreover, some of the drivers of the articulated vehicles, like their other counterparts, take all manner of drugs and alcoholic drinks before beginning their journeys, or on the road. All of these require the attention of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and other agencies responsible for safety on our roads.

How about our fire services that should move swiftly to the scene when tragedies occur? This is as good as dead in many states. Just as emergency responders are either non-existent or inadequate in many parts of the country. In other places where they seem to exist, they have been reduced to sharing of relief materials. Perhaps the casualties in these incidents would have been far less if all of these agencies were functioning well.

While we commiserate with the families of the victims, we call on the appropriate agencies and governments to be more alive to their responsibilities. It is high time the government considered seriously ending fuel transportation by road. It is in our collective interest to do the needful in this regard because accidents or tragedies do not give notice. They just happen, and when they occur, they do not discriminate. Just anybody could become victim.(The Nation Editorial)