Tanker Explosions: FRSC Decries Increase In Crashes, Fatalities

The Federal Road Safety Corps FRSC has expressed concern over the alarming rate of crashes and fatalities, especially the number of deaths, as a result of scooping petroleum products from crashed petroleum tankers .

The Corps Marshal Mallam Shehu Mohammed who stated this while addressing news men on the just concluded End of the year Operation Zero Tolerance explained that the corps recorded a total number of Nine thousand Five Hundred and Seventy road accidents in 2024 which is Ten Percent reduction in road accidents in 2023.

He noted that the increase in the number of people killed in 2024 when compared to 2023 was from fallen tankers.

According to him, without the casualties recorded from scooping fuel from crashed tankers, the corps would have recorded one point four per cent reduction in the total number of people killed when compared with the figure in 2023.

“It will interest you to note that between Dec. 15, 2024 to Jan. 15, 2025, a total of 531 crashes were recorded. Out of these reported cases, 169 were fatal, 287 serious, while 75 were minor.

“The 2024 reports was as against 634 recorded in the same period in 2023. This represents 16.2 per cent reduction.”

“More so, a total of 2,129 people were rescued without injuries, representing 8.2 per cent decrease when compared to the 2,319 rescued in the same period in 2023.”

Mallam Shehu Mohammed said that the Corps collaborated with the judiciary for special enforcement operations using the Mobile Courts sittings.

He said “out of these sessions, 1,013 traffic offenders were arraigned, 923 convicted, 3 imprisoned and 117 discharged and acquitted.

The FRSC boss applauded road users and critical stakeholders for their contributions towards the successes recorded.

The FRSC Boss maintained that the Corps was committed to achieving its mandate through compliance with the presidential directives to collaborate with the National Orientation Agency in sensitizing the public on the dangers of scooping fuel from crashed tankers.

Mallam Shehu Mohammed stressed that the Corps would meet with stakeholders, particularly petroleum Tanker Unions to profer lasting solutions to incessant accidents involving tanker drivers in the country.

He, however, appealed to passengers to avoid boarding trailers and trucks meant for goods, including night trips, due to the inherent dangers.

Kayode Oyedare, Edited By Grace Namiji