By Aliyu H. Mohammed, Minna
A potential tragedy was narrowly avoided in Niger State on Sunday after a petrol-laden tanker overturned along the Lambata–Lapai–Agaie Road, spilling fuel and triggering panic among residents of Takalafiya village in Lapai Local Government Area.
Eyewitnesses said the tanker, which was conveying fuel from Lagos to Kano, lost balance and fell in the early hours of the morning, emptying part of its content onto the highway.
Residents quickly alerted emergency responders, while motorists and villagers kept a safe distance amid fears of an explosion.
“The scene is barely two kilometres from Lapai town,” said Mallam Mahmud Abubakar, a resident, who blamed the incident on the poor condition of the recently reconstructed section of the road.
Swift intervention by the fire service unit of Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University (IBBUL), supported by operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and members of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), helped stabilise the situation and prevent fire outbreak.
According to witnesses, part of the spilled fuel was carefully recovered into containers to reduce wastage and protect the environment.
Confirming the incident, the Director of Information and Special Duties at the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Dr. Ibrahim Audu Hussaini, said there was no explosion or casualty, assuring that fire trucks from IBBUL remained on standby to prevent any escalation.
Residents have since praised the quick response of the emergency teams, describing it as a “timely rescue” that averted what could have been a catastrophic disaster for the community.
