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EXPLOSIONS! FG plans to ban fuel tankers on roads over death tolls
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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Federal Government, FG, through the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA, has said that it might impose a ban on trucks with 60,000-litre capacity, preventing them from operating on federal highways.
This follows the increasing number of deaths resulting from petrol tanker accidents, which has led to the death of 493 persons in three years.
The government, in a proposal to stakeholders, wants tankers restricted to a maximum of 45,000 litres.
It said this ban is part of a potential recommendation aimed at reducing fatalities from petroleum tanker accidents to zero.
Chief Executive Officer, NMDPRA, Farouk Ahmed, disclosed this at a stakeholders’ engagement on the recurrence of road tanker accidents held at its headquarters in Abuja.
The meeting sought to provide lasting solutions to the frequent accidents involving petroleum tankers, which have resulted in loss of lives and property.
In his address, Ahmed said the public was seeking intervention to protect lives and properties as the government recorded 493 deaths from petroleum truck-related accidents from 2022 to date.
According to him, the carnage from the petroleum truck explosion has been on the increase from seven recorded in 2022 to 24 deaths in 2023, while 341 died in 2024; the carnage rate has already hit 121 in 2025, which is only two months from its beginning.
Ahmed, who described the rising number of accidents and fatalities as unacceptable, said urgent steps were needed to ensure safety in the transportation of petroleum products across the country.
He said, “We are here today to discuss the recent trend in road tanker accidents and the resultant fatalities and other consequences. The public is watching helplessly and looking forward to intervention to protect lives and properties.
“In the year 2022, four road tanker accidents were recorded that led to 7 fatalities and 3 injuries. The number of incidents decreased in the year 2023 to two, resulting in 24 fatalities and five injuries. By the year 2024, the number of accidents increased to 11 incidents leading to 341 fatalities and 124 injuries.
“This year to date, we have already recorded five road tanker accidents leading to 121 fatalities and 79 injuries. These incidents are unnecessary and unacceptable. They must be prevented and brought down to zero.”
Ahmed said the incidents were unnecessary and unacceptable since the authority had already put preventive measures in place
He said the measures include, “determination of an appropriate truck carrying capacity of (60,000 litres versus 45,000 litres) given the negative impact on the roads.”
He also noted that some of the measures put in place to prevent such accidents include Minimum Industry Safety Training for Downstream Operators, which includes training and retraining of drivers, motor boys, and all personnel involved in downstream operations.
He said there has been the mandatory installation of anti-spill safety valves on all petroleum product tanker trucks.
Ahmed also said there should be the implementation of safe-to-load initiatives, “Colour coding and branding of all tank trucks. Spot checks by FRSC on fatigued drivers and those under the influence. Broadcast post-crash emergency numbers and first responders to cordon off accident sites. Enlightenment and sensitization of the public about the dangers of scooping the volatile hydrocarbons at accident sites. Regular meetings with stakeholders. Regulating route management by designating routes and commuting times.”
The NMDPRA boss recalled that the requirements were arrived at by the industry collectively, pursuant to learnings from previous accidents and safety studies conducted to ensure that the business of energy provision and distribution is conducted safely and securely.
He stressed that it is, therefore, unacceptable for any operator to conduct business in contravention of established protocols and safety requirements.
He said it was the contraventions, coupled with the poor conditions of the transportation infrastructure that are leading to unnecessary accidents and unfortunate loss of lives and properties.
“It is therefore unacceptable for any operator to conduct business in contravention of established protocols and safety requirements. It is these contraventions, coupled with the poor conditions of our transportation infrastructure that are leading to unnecessary accidents and unfortunate loss of lives and properties.
“The fact that these accidents keep recurring is indicative of non-compliance by the industry with the established safety measures or that the measures are defective. Consequently, we demand that all parties should ensure strict compliance with the established safety requirements.
“In our deliberations today, we should examine the defects that are observed in these safety provisions and agree on necessary actions to close those gaps.
According to him, the fact that these accidents keep recurring is indicative of noncompliance by the industry with the established safety measures or that the measures are defective.
However, opposing the potential ban on 60,000-litre capacity tankers, the President of the National Association of Road Transport Owners, Yusuf Othman, said such a move would lead to a potential loss of over N300bn investment.
Othman explained that there are currently about 2,000 trucks with 60,000 litres capacity involved in the transportation of petroleum products with each costing over N150m.
He stated, “We are saddened by these occurrences and we believe measures need to be taken to avoid future occurrences. But, in doing that, we need to avoid being sentimental in making certain decisions so that we don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.
I want to remind everybody here that transporters are investors and these investments are huge. Any truck that loads 60,000 litres must be a truck with a strong and sound engine at an average cost of N150m. By our estimation, we have 2,000 of them. We are talking about N300bn investments, some of which were financed by banks and other lenders.”
“We believe that necessary measures should be in place that are going to stop the occurrences. But in doing that, we need to be careful and avoid being sentimental in taking certain positions on this issue.”
He sought government intervention for the improvement of the condition of the highways. He said there is a strong correlation between the condition of the roads and accidents.
He urged the public to always avoid petroleum products laden trucks because they are highly inflammable.
Fire has engulfed Lagos airport’s Terminal 2.
FAAN said its Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Service (ARFFS) had been deployed to contain the fire.
“The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) wishes to inform the public that a fire incident has occurred at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos,” the statement read.
“The FAAN Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Service (ARFFS) is currently responding to the incident and working diligently to contain the situation.”
FAAN said there were no reported casualties or loss of life.
“There have been no reported casualties or loss of life,” the authority stated.
It added that further updates would be provided as more information becomes available.
…as China, Italy-bound cocaine concealed in local mortar, backpack intercepted in Lagos
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted consignments of cocaine concealed in local mortar and false bottom of a backpack packaged for shipment to China and Italy respectively through a logistics company in Lagos.
The seizures made by NDLEA officers of the Directorate of Operation and General Investigations (DOGI) on Thursday 30th July 2026 include 250grams of cocaine factory fitted into the base of a local mortar packed in a carton for export to China, and 500grams of the same class A drug hidden in the false bottom of a backpack being shipped to Italy.
Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives in Rivers state have arrested a 38-year-old notorious drug dealer, Ugo Gift Okonkwo, at Eagle Island Port Harcourt, following credible intelligence.
The suspect was nabbed with various quantities of cannabis, cocaine, methamphetamine, swinol, tramadol and codeine syrup at the time of his arrest on Sunday 26th July.
NDLEA officers on a stop and search operation at DMGS roundabout, Onitsha, Anambra state on Monday 27th July intercepted a truck marked XK 131 BDG loaded with 26,000 bottles of codeine syrup weighing 3,960kg while the truck driver Chinedu Nwanze, 40, was arrested.
While 331.84 kilograms of skunk were recovered from a Toyota Sienna bus with registration number KUJ 26 DV along Kwale/Ughelli expressway, Delta state on Sunday 26th July, NDLEA officers in Nasarawa state on Tuesday 28th July arrested a 64-year-old man Joseph Nwaeke with 68kg skunk and 29grams of methamphetamine at Asso Angwan Muazu, Karu area of the state.
In Zamfara, NDLEA operatives on patrol along Zaria- Gusau highway on Monday 27th July intercepted a suspect, Sani Umar, 27, conveying 7,400 pills of tramadol 225mg suspected to be supplies for criminal elements.
With the same vigour, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities to schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week. These include: WADA enlightenment lecture to students and staff of Hausawa Special Primary School, Kano; Royal Crown School, Oluyole, Ibadan; Government Secondary School, Ibi, Taraba; and drivers at Challenge Bus Terminal Park, Ibadan, Oyo state, among others.
While commending the officers and men of DOGI, Rivers, Anambra, Delta, Nasarawa, and Zamfara Commands for the various successful operations, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd) enjoined them and their colleagues across the country to continue with the ongoing balanced approach to the drug control efforts of the Agency.
Leaders of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, in the South West have asked the party’s national leadership to immediately remove Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as Interim National Secretary, accusing him of brazen constitutional violations that are threatening the party ahead of 2027.
The South West leaders, in a petition dated July 28, 2026, signed by state chairmen from across the zone and addressed to the National Chairman, said they resolved during an emergency meeting in Ibadan that Aregbesola’s conduct had plunged the ADC into avoidable crises.
According to DAILY POST, the copies of the letter signed by Olusoji Adebiyi, Ogun State Secretary; Abideen Okanlawon, Osun State Acting Chairman; Adesola Akitunde, Osun State Youth Leader; Yinka Olona, Oyo State Chairman; Adebimpe Adelowo, Oyo State member; Ilesanmi Olaiya, Ekiti State Chairman, among others, were copied to the National Working Committee (NWC), National Executive Committee (NEC), the party’s 2027 presidential candidate, the vice-presidential candidate, and the National Legal Adviser.
The chairmen alleged that Aregbesola created a parallel structure across South West states under the name “Omoluabi Progressive” and began parading officers of the splinter group as legitimate ADC executives from the ward to the state level, asserting that this directly contravenes the ADC constitution.
They cited Article 22, Section 1 (2, 3, 8, 9, 10 and 11) of the party’s constitution, listing offences including breach of the constitution, acts likely to bring the party into disrepute, disobedience to lawful directives, creation of parallel organs, and collusion to convene unauthorised meetings.
The petitioners also accused the former Osun State governor of using his office to interfere in the party’s candidate selection process, alleging that on the last day for uploading National Assembly candidates, Aregbesola “colluded with some cohorts within INEC” to remove duly elected ADC candidates who emerged from INEC-monitored primaries and replace them with members of his Omoluabi Progressive group who never purchased nomination forms.
They also blamed Aregbesola for the lingering crises in Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo states, alleging that he usurped the functions of the National Organising Secretary by appointing parallel primary election committees and submitting them to INEC.
Part of the petition reads:
“We, the undersigned State Chairmen of the South West Zone of the ADC, on behalf of the ADC South West Zonal Stakeholders, write to officially transmit our resolutions reached during the South West Zone emergency stakeholders’ meeting held on July 28, 2026, in Ibadan and equally request urgent action regarding the ceaseless, blatant violations and brazen breaches of our party’s constitution by OGBENI RAUF AREGBESOLA.
“OGBENI RAUF AREGBESOLA acted directly in contravention of our great party’s constitution by creating parallel party structures across the South West states, including local government areas and wards, under the name and style of Omoluabi Progressive, and parading the so-called officers of this splinter group as the legitimate structures and officers of our great party across the South West, contrary to the provisions of the party constitution.
“His actions and activities do not in any way befit the status, carriage, disposition and character expected of any person occupying the high-ranking and sensitive position of National Secretary of a great party like the ADC.
“We equally learnt from reliable sources that OGBENI RAUF AREGBESOLA used his position as National Secretary to collude with some of his cohorts within INEC to, on July 14, 2026, the last day for uploading National Assembly candidates, unlawfully infiltrate the party’s system and fraudulently substitute the names of successful National Assembly candidates who emerged through INEC-monitored primary elections across the South West and other zones of the country with members of his Omoluabi Progressive splinter group, who did not even purchase nomination forms in the first place.”
The South West ADC leaders demanded that the coalition leadership review Aregbesola’s appointment and relieve him of his position, urging it to present a new, “competent, loyal and patriotic” replacement.
“OGBENI RAUF AREGBESOLA is not fit to hold the position of Interim National Secretary. His continued stay in office will spell doom for the party.
“We therefore request the coalition leadership to review the appointment of OGBENI RAUF AREGBESOLA as Interim National Secretary, relieve him of this position, and request the APC extraction of the coalition to present a new, suitable person who is competent, loyal, amiable, patriotic and possesses the native intelligence required to lead the South West zone and the ADC to victory in 2027,” the petition added.
They urged the NWC and NEC to act urgently to stem the crisis and save the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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