The Director General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, has strongly condemned the dangerous act of scooping fuel from a fallen tanker, describing it as reckless, irresponsible, and a grave threat to human life and public safety.
Issa-Onilu’s condemnation followed an incident on Monday, January 20, at the Liverpool Bridge in the Apapa area of Lagos State, where individuals were seen scooping fuel from a fallen tanker despite the obvious risks involved.
The NOA boss said such behaviour is unacceptable in a modern society, warning that it poses extreme and avoidable dangers not only to those directly involved but also to motorists, nearby residents, emergency responders, and critical national infrastructure.
He noted that the Agency has, over the years, embarked on sustained nationwide sensitisation and public enlightenment campaigns to warn Nigerians against fuel scooping and other high-risk behaviours. However, he lamented that despite repeated warnings and value-reorientation efforts, some individuals continue to engage in the life-threatening practice.
“This behaviour cannot be justified under any circumstances. This is not poverty. Poverty does not remove people’s sense of judgement or instinct for self-preservation. What we are witnessing is a conscious, reckless, and criminal disregard for human life and public safety,” Issa-Onilu stated.
Recalling past tragedies across the country, the Director General said Nigeria has recorded several fatal tanker explosions caused by fuel scooping, leading to the loss of hundreds of lives. He described these incidents as painful reminders that the menace is recurrent, preventable, and must no longer be tolerated.
In view of the growing danger, Issa-Onilu called on the National Assembly to urgently initiate and pass legislation that will expressly criminalise fuel scooping from fallen tankers and impose clear, firm, and deterrent penalties on offenders. According to him, public enlightenment alone is no longer sufficient and must be backed by strong legal and enforcement frameworks.
He stressed that Nigerians must collectively reject actions that repeatedly result in mass casualties, national trauma, and avoidable loss of lives, while reaffirming NOA’s commitment to intensifying value-reorientation and safety advocacy nationwide.
“Human life is sacred and priceless. No situation, no excuse, and no momentary gain should justify conduct that places lives in imminent danger,” the NOA Director General concluded.