Residents were seen scooping fuel from a fallen tanker on Sunday along the Academy–Iwo Road Expressway in Ibadan, Oyo State, in a viral video shared by Oyo Affairs, raising renewed concerns over public safety and indulgence in a practice authorities say continues to claim lives despite repeated warnings.

The footage, now widely circulated on social media, captures a crowd gathering around the overturned tanker, collecting fuel without visible regard for the risk of fire outbreaks or explosions. The incident has once again drawn attention to a recurring national hazard that experts describe as both preventable and deeply rooted in risky public behaviour.

According to data from Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), at least 411 Nigerians lost their lives in 2024 alone while attempting to scoop fuel from accident scenes—a figure representing 7.6 per cent of total road traffic fatalities for that year.

Officials emphasize that the death toll only reflects the most severe outcomes, noting that more sustain life-altering injuries in similar incidents.

The Benue Sector Commander of the FRSC, Steve Ayodele, had previously warned that such behaviour continues despite sustained advocacy campaigns.

Speaking during a safety engagement themed “Discourage Fuel Scooping and Other Anti-Road Traffic Attitudes,” he stressed the need for stronger public compliance and behavioral change.

Recent occurrences suggest the trend has not slowed in 2026. In January, a diesel tanker accident at Liverpool Bridge in Apapa, Lagos, caused major traffic disruption along the Mile 2 corridor. Eyewitnesses reported that residents rushed to the scene to collect fuel before emergency responders could secure the area, prompting swift warnings from the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency.

Authorities say the continued recurrence of such incidents point to gaps not just in enforcement, but also in public awareness and risk perception. The Director-General of the National Orientation Agency, Lanre Issa-Onilu, has called for stricter measures, including legislative action to deter the practice.

“I urge the National Assembly to enact legislation criminalising fuel scooping from fallen tankers, with clear, deterrent penalties for offenders,” Issa-Onilu said. He added that public education must be reinforced with legal and enforcement frameworks to end the behaviour.

He further stressed the broader implications of such actions, warning that they pose “extreme and preventable risks to human life, public safety, and national infrastructure,” while recalling past tragedies where similar incidents led to deadly explosions.

Despite repeated warnings and documented fatalities, Sunday’s incident in Ibadan highlights the ongoing challenge authorities face in curbing fuel scooping—a practice driven by a mix of economic pressure, public disregard for safety protocols, and delayed emergency response in some cases.

As agencies continue to push for behavioral change and stronger laws, officials insist that collective responsibility remains critical. “Human life is sacred and priceless. No situation, excuse, or momentary gain justifies conduct that places lives in imminent danger,” Issa-Onilu said.