By Desire Emmanuel
The combined efforts of security operatives on Friday evening prevented what could have been another tanker fire disaster in Kogi State when some residents were sent away from scooping petrol from a fallen trailer.
The fully-loaded trailer was involved in an accident at the Crusher area of the Felele Expressway in Lokoja, the state capital, when the tank disconnected from its head and rolled into the ditch,
However, immediately the tank rolled into the ditch, some residents attempted to go there in order to scoop petrol but were stopped from getting to the area by the operatives of the Nigeria Police, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), men of the Civil Defence Corps, among others.
Mr Tenimu Etuku, FRSC Sector Commander in Kogi State, while speaking on the incident, disclosed that though the tanker driver and his assistant escaped unhurt, they had to appeal to residents not to move near the tank.
He said: “When the accident occurred,the FRSC patrol team raced to the scene and invited the police, Civil Defence Corps and Mobile Police unit for security cover.
“The reason is to ensure that the community members were prevented from gaining access to the tanker as they wanted to scoop the fuel gushing out
“We don’t want a repeat of what happened in Niger and Jigawa states where several lives were lost to fire incidents during attempt to scoop fuel.”
“Some people actually attempted to scoop the fuel before the arrival of his personnel but they were chased away. The area has been properly cordoned off by security operatives and some leaders of the Crusher community.
“The community leaders and the security agencies have agreed to ensure that nobody will be allowed to go into the ditch with the aim of scooping fuel.”
