By Ude Ogbonnaya Israel
The National Orientation Agency (NOA) is calling for strict laws against fuel scooping, with firm and deterrent penalties for perpetrators, following Monday incident in Lagos where people were seen scooping fuel from a fallen tanker at Liverpool Bridge, Apapa.
According to a press release by Bala Musa, Director Communication and Media, NOA, the agency condemns the act of scooping fuel from fallen tankers, which poses a significant threat to human life and public safety.
The Director-General of NOA, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, described the practice as “completely unacceptable in a modern society” and urged the National Assembly to urgently enact legislation to criminalise it.
The NOA has consistently deployed nationwide sensitisation campaigns to warn Nigerians about the dangers of fuel scooping, but some individuals remain adamant.
It noted that fuel scooping has led to several tragic incidents, resulting in hundreds of lives lost, and the NOA stresses that this menace is preventable and must be stopped.
The agency reaffirms its commitment to intensifying value-reorientation and safety advocacy across the country.
The Director-General emphasised that human life is sacred and priceless, and no situation justifies conduct that places lives in danger.
NOA’s efforts will be complemented by strong legal and enforcement frameworks to decisively end this deadly behaviour.
The agency urges Nigerians to collectively reject actions that lead to mass casualties and avoidable loss of lives.
Bala Musa reiterated the NOA’s stance, saying “Human life is sacred and priceless,” emphasizing the need for urgent action against fuel scooping.