Niger Tanker Explosion: There Is Need For Attitudinal Change – NOA’s Issa-Onilu

The Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Lanre Issa-Onilu, has decried that Nigerians have yet to avoid scooping fuel from falling petrol tankers despite all advocacies and experiences.

Naijaonpoint reported that about 90 persons died while scooping fuel from a fallen petrol tanker at Dikko Junction, in Suleja council area of Niger State.

In an interview with Arise News on Monday, Issa-Onilu said there was need for attitudinal change among citizens.

He regretted that instances of devastating effects of tanker explosions during scooping fuels did not deter residents of Dikko from the Saturday tragic event.

“If we are not careful, we will keep experiencing these occurrences. This is an attitudinal problem stemming from a lack of value and self-care. In our part of the world, we don’t blame the dead, but we must address the root cause.

“We need a prolonged attitudinal change, and with the implementation of the National Value Charter, we hope that in the coming years, Nigerians will prioritize their safety over the short-term gains of engaging in such risky behavior,” he said.

The NOA DG disclosed that the agency had carried out awareness enlightenment campaigns to communities on the dangers of scooping fuel from fallen petrol tankers.

“This issue primarily affects community members who may not fully understand the risks involved. We carried out extensive outreach and advocacy visits to educate them that fuel scooping is essentially a form of suicide,” he stated.

Issa-Onilu added that the agency would continue its sensitization effort to discourage citizens from endangering their lives in such scenes.

“We are already deploying our resources efficiently and doing our best to enlighten the public about the dangers they expose themselves to.

“The duty of care towards ourselves and fellow citizens is no longer there, which is why we are working on value orientation. We cannot achieve much as a nation without citizens who are patriotic, committed, and understand their roles,” he added.