Behind Nigeria’s Deadly Road Accidents, a Scourge of Drivers Carrying Fuel in Jerry Cans
- Keeping a jerry can full of fuel in one’s vehicle is not the best idea when going on a long trip, but transport workers and private car owners in Nigeria keep doing it
- Recent incidents highlighted how rising fuel prices and intermittent scarcities in Africa’s largest oil-producing country contribute to road disaster
- Fuel prices have more than tripled over the last year in Nigeria as the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration has moved to abandon a fuel subsidy that for decades gave Nigerians access to some of the cheapest gasoline in Africa
Legit.ng journalist, Ridwan Adeola Yusuf, has over 5 years of experience covering road safety.
Ilorin, Kwara state - Easy-going, gracious, and loving, Omoniyi Seun enrolled in a tertiary institution in Nigeria to change her life and exponentially expand her horizons. But on Sunday, February 20, 2022, Seun’s life and eight others would be cut short in the wake of a fatal road accident in the country’s north-central state of Kwara. The story made newspaper headlines at the time.
“It was a terrible accident,” recalled Seun’s coursemate, Yusuf Khadeejah, while speaking exclusively with Legit.ng. “Schools were on strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), so she had to travel home. Her bus just took off from the park only to tragically hit a car at the entrance of the Ilorin International Airport. The scene was really gory.”
Source: Getty Images
It was during the fuel scarcity period, a common sight in Nigeria. The driver of the Lagos-bound public transport she was travelling in had a keg of petrol in the bus hoping to use it when returning to Kwara state. As a result of the heat and the collision, the petrol flared, triggering an explosion and devastating fire.
The bus tumbled and unfortunately affected Seun, a student of the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), who was sitting close to the entrance. As the vehicle turned upside down, Seun was downwards and stuck. Some strong men who were at the top were able to escape through the window. However, Seun, 23, experienced difficulties.
In Nigeria, West Africa's largest economy, rising catastrophic loss of lives due to road accidents severely undermines the enjoyment of human rights for many families and homes.
According to the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), approximately 1,471 individuals have been killed in road crashes in the first quarter of 2024 alone.
“Everywhere was burning, the smoke and everything, and Seun wasn’t close to the side windows. Unfortunately, she didn’t survive the fire and was brought out badly burnt,” Khadeejah's thoughts flashed back sobbingly. “Seun and the others were then taken to the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) where my other friends identified her body through her necklace. The necklace was a friendship item worn by her and her two closest friends.”
To date, it is still a traumatic experience for Khadeejah as she spent some days with the deceased a few days before the tragedy.
“I got to her place on 14/02/2022, spent three days with her and left on the fourth day as I was travelling home too. In fact, she escorted me to the bus stop till I got a motorcycle operator. Seun was a good host. She received me well when I was at her place, took very good care of me and made sure I was comfortable. She bid me farewell when I got to the bus-stop. None of us knew or could imagine that that would be the last time we’d see each other,” Khadeejah added sombrely.
Source: Getty Images
A child represents hope and a future, thus Seun’s death — catalysed by a driver carrying a container filled with petroleum products during the ill-fated distant journey — was so painful to her parents. Her stunned mother rang her almost every day hoping that the news was a dream.
Although most accidents are avoidable once precautionary measures are adhered to, some road users are not cautious of road safety. Multiple factors cause auto crashes, but in recent years in Nigeria, some havoc have been linked to fuel: its shortages, hikes, and lackadaisical drivers who ply the road with gallons of gasoline.
Keeping container of fuel in car: Experts speak
Safety executives have advised road users not to store petrol in vehicles.
In May, the FRSC cautioned motorists in Kogi state against conveying petrol in jerry cans while on transit.
Samuel Oyedeji, FRSC sector commander in Kogi, gave the warning at an event to mark the West African Road Safety Organisation (WARSO) Day. He emphasised the risks associated with carrying fuel in jerry cans while embarking on a journey, citing recent fatalities in the state.
Oyedeji, therefore, urged passengers and drivers to desist from the practice in order to reach their destination safely.
Source: Twitter
In the same vein, in August, Fasakin Akinwumi, a top official of the FRSC in Ogun state, southwest geopolitical zone, asked motorists to avoid needless disasters.
Akinwumi asserted that the warning became necessary following the persistent fuel scarcity experienced in the state.
He pleaded:
“We are appealing to motorists not to buy petrol and keep in jerrycans inside their vehicles to prevent fire outbreaks that could lead to unnecessary loss of lives and property.”
According to the road safety boss, officials of the corps have been deployed and instructed to check, apprehend, and prosecute violators accordingly.
Nigerian governor briefs Tinubu on tanker explosion
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Umar Namadi, governor of Jigawa, said 181 people died and 210 families were affected in the tanker explosion that occurred in the state recently.
Namadi told President Bola Tinubu that 80 people were hospitalised due to the incident, adding that the state government has paid their bills.
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Source: Legit.ng
