The National Assembly has been urged by the National Orientation Agency to make it illegal to remove fuel from downed trucks.

Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, the Director General, was credited with making the call in a statement that was published on the NOA's official X account.

The request comes in response to mounting worries over fuel tanker mishaps, such as the most recent one at Apapa.

Issa-Onilu strongly denounced the practice, calling it reckless, harmful, and completely unacceptable in today's world. He underlined that the risks extend beyond those directly involved, putting national infrastructure, surrounding communities, emergency services, and drivers at risk.

"This isn't poverty. People's sense of reason, judgement, and instinct for self-preservation are all unaffected by poverty. He stated, "What we are seeing is a deliberate, careless, and criminal disregard for human life and public safety."

The Director General noted that the NOA has long carried out nationwide sensitisation campaigns to educate citizens on the dangers of fuel scooping, yet some people persist in the act despite repeated warnings.

Issa-Onilu urged the National Assembly to pass legislation that explicitly criminalises fuel scooping and imposes clear, deterrent penalties on offenders. He stressed that public enlightenment must now be backed by strong enforcement to stop the deadly behaviour.

Scooping-related fuel tanker accidents continue to pose a serious risk to national infrastructure and public safety; Nigeria has seen numerous disasters and large-scale casualties over the years.

In January 2025, a petrol tanker crashed close to Suleja in Niger State in one of the bloodiest recent incidents. The tanker exploded, killing over 100 people who had gathered to clean up the spilt fuel and injuring dozens more.

Reports from the Federal Road Safety Corps Benue Sector Command indicate that at least 411 Nigerians died while scooping fuel from crashed tankers in 2024 alone.

It is anticipated that making the conduct illegal will reduce avoidable deaths, improve emergency responder safety, and promote a culture of accountability and self-preservation.

The most recent incident, in which a tanker carrying diesel overturned on the Tincan Liverpool Bridge in Apapa, Lagos State, sparked the NOA's call.

Residents and onlookers were drawn to the spilt cargo and hurried to gather the extremely flammable fuel in jerrycans and other containers.

A potentially disastrous explosion was prevented by emergency personnel's quick intervention and containment of the incident.