A member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Stephen Ogundipe, has warned residents against the dangerous practice of scooping petroleum products from accident scenes, stressing that no amount of fuel is worth the loss of human life.
Ogundipe, who represents Oshodi Isolo Constituency One and serves as the spokesman of the Assembly, gave the warning in a statement issued in Lagos on Monday.
The lawmaker was reacting to a recent incident at the Tincan Liverpool Bridge in the Apapa area of the state, where a tanker conveying diesel overturned and spilled its contents, attracting commuters and residents to the scene.
The Lagos State Traffic Management Agency said the tanker, which was reportedly carrying about 45,000 litres of diesel, fell on Liverpool Bridge inward Mile Two, leading to a massive fuel spillage.
Videos shared by LASTMA showed individuals using buckets and jerry cans to scoop the spilled fuel, although no fire outbreak was recorded at the scene.
Ogundipe described the development as alarming, noting that previous fuel spillage incidents across the country had resulted in avoidable loss of lives.
He said petroleum products are highly flammable and warned that sparks from mobile phones, vehicles or nearby generators could easily trigger explosions.
According to him, fuel scooping often leads to deaths, severe burns, permanent injuries, destruction of property, environmental pollution and disruption of economic activities.
The lawmaker added that such incidents also place unnecessary pressure on emergency responders and healthcare facilities.
He further cautioned that fuel scooping is illegal and offenders could face prosecution under existing public safety and environmental laws.
Ogundipe urged residents to vacate spillage sites immediately and report such incidents to relevant agencies, including LASEMA, the Fire Service and security operatives.
He also called on community leaders and transport unions to intensify public sensitisation, reaffirming the Assembly’s commitment to protecting lives and ensuring public safety across the state.
