Scores of Nigerians rushed to collect spilled fuel on Saturday after a tanker accident along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway near the Ibadan-Ijebu-Ode Road junction, creating a hazardous scene that drew emergency responders.
Residents, including women, converged on the area with buckets, jerrycans and assorted containers to scoop the petroleum product. Some waded into drainage channels where the fuel had pooled, disregarding the immediate risk of fire or explosion.
The incident prompted a rapid response from the Federal Road Safety Corps and the Fire Service. Personnel from both agencies moved to secure the perimeter and mitigate the dangers posed by the highly flammable spill, even as crowds continued to gather.
Fuel tanker accidents are a recurring hazard on Nigeria’s major highways, often drawing desperate crowds seeking free fuel despite repeated warnings from safety authorities. The combination of poor road infrastructure, aging tanker fleets and economic hardship frequently turns such crashes into deadly incidents when ignition occurs.
Emergency officials urged the public to stay clear of the area while containment operations continued. The FRSC has not yet released details on the cause of the spill or the condition of the tanker driver.
Authorities have long struggled to enforce safety regulations on fuel transportation and to deter the dangerous practice of scooping spilled product. Previous similar incidents have resulted in mass casualties when static electricity, open flames or vehicle engines ignited accumulated vapors.
The Lagos-Ibadan Expressway remains one of the country’s busiest and most accident-prone corridors, serving as a critical artery for commercial and passenger traffic between Nigeria’s largest city and the interior.