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- There is fear of a potential fuel scarcity as tanker drivers halt loading over alleged harassment
- The drivers said the alleged harassment is not connected to the recent ban on trucks above 60,000 litres to curb road crashes
- The Lagos State Government said it is sanitising traffic by enforcing its e-call-up system
There are indications that Lagos and other parts of the country may experience fuel scarcity as tanker drivers have stopped fuel loading over alleged harassment by officials of the Lagos State Government and the Federal Ministry of Transportation.
Due to the alleged harassment, petroleum tanker drivers said they could not load fuel on Saturday and Sunday, February 22 and 22, raising concerns of likely fuel scarcity in Lagos and other states.
The National President of the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), Yusuf Othman, said members of his association were often beaten and harassed by government officials for no known reason, per The Punch.
Othman added that trucks belonging to members of the association were being seized and damaged by government officials.
“The problem we have now is that the tax force in Lagos State has towed our trucks and they are beating our drivers. They damaged the vehicle of the union.
“So, because of that, there was no loading yesterday (Saturday and there is no loading today (Sunday). I don’t know whether there will be any form of loading tomorrow in Lagos environment. The union and the task force are disturbing us,” he said.
Asked if this would not lead to fuel scarcity, he replied, “Well, I wouldn’t know, but I know there was no loading yesterday, there is no loading today, and there may not be tomorrow. And all is because of this Lagos task force.
“They are busy collecting our vehicles, giving fines and whatever. I don’t know how they will operate without fuel trucks. There is no refinery or depot in any place that can operate without a vehicle that will come and take products from them. So, they have to find a way of ensuring that we all co-exist peacefully,” Othman added.
Action not related to FG’s ban on trucks above 60,000 litres
Othman further stated that the alleged harassment is not connected to the recent ban on trucks above 60,000 litres on roads to curb incessant cases of road crashes involving fuel tankers, which have led to the loss of lives and property.
“It’s entirely a different thing. It’s a task force from the Lagos State Government and the Federal Ministry of Transport,” he disclosed.
Recall that the Federal Government, through the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), announced the decision, which takes effect from March 1, 2025.
Lagos government says it is sanitising traffic
In its response, the Lagos State Government said its officials are sanitising traffic along the road leading to the Dangote Refinery by enforcing its e-call-up system, a digital platform launched in September 2024 that manages the movement of trucks in the Lekki-Epe corridor of Lagos.
The Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Transportation, Wale Musa, said the state government would not allow tanker drivers to turn the area to another Apapa which used to be characterised by massive gridlocks in the past.
“I am aware that some enforcement was done at the Dangote Refinery axis. If it is the same issue, the enforcement is to ensure compliance with our e-call-up system.
“We won’t allow them to turn that place into another Apapa. Their attempt at blackmail will not suffice. We urge willful compliance for everybody’s sake,” Musa said.
7 fuel tanker explosions that have rocked Nigeria in recent years
Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that the death toll from fuel tanker explosions exceeded 555 people over the last five years, with no signs of the crisis abating.
Poor road conditions, reckless driving, and inadequate vehicle maintenance are often cited as contributing factors to these accidents. TheRadar compiled seven notable tragedies linked to fuel tanker explosions.
