“We Saw It Coming!” – NOA DG Blames Community Leaders For Niger Tanker Explosion Tragedy

The Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Lanre Issa-Onilu, has attributed the tragic tanker explosion in Niger State to a collapse of leadership and moral responsibility at the community level.

According to Ireporter Online, the petrol tanker explosion that rocked Essa community in Katcha Local Government Area of Niger State on Tuesday claimed at least 42 lives and left more than 60 others injured. The incident occurred after a tanker overturned on the badly damaged Bida–Badeggi–Agaie Road and exploded as residents attempted to scoop fuel from the leaking vehicle.

Speaking during a live interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Thursday, Issa-Onilu described the disaster as both “frustrating” and “avoidable,” lamenting that similar tragedies could have been prevented if community leaders had acted responsibly.

“It’s very frustrating, but we saw it coming. After the Dikko explosion earlier this year, the President instructed us to embark on nationwide sensitisation,” he said.

The NOA chief disclosed that the agency had held extensive engagements with religious leaders, traditional rulers, youth groups, and security agencies across the country. However, he noted that despite widespread awareness, many Nigerians still ignore the risks associated with scooping fuel from accident scenes.

“Our findings show that sensitisation alone won’t solve this problem. People know the dangers but choose to ignore them. It’s a failure of leadership at the community level because this tragedy involved an entire community,” Issa-Onilu stated.

He further revealed that the agency has been working with the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and other stakeholders in the downstream petroleum sector to develop stricter safety protocols aimed at preventing similar occurrences.

Issa-Onilu condemned the act of collecting fuel from fallen tankers, describing it as “criminal and morally wrong.” He warned that spilt fuel remains the property of its owner, and taking it without consent amounts to theft.

“Why would anyone go near a spillage when they know the danger? This happened recently in Dikko; it shouldn’t happen again. Our moral values have eroded over time, and parents must begin to question their children’s choices when they attempt to take what doesn’t belong to them,” he stressed.

He added that communities must learn to assist in securing accident scenes to protect lives and property, not to take advantage of unfortunate situations.

“It’s beyond a fallen tanker—it’s a national issue that reflects our declining value orientation,” Issa-Onilu concluded.