In 2024, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) reported 411 deaths from fuel scooping incidents, contributing to a rise in fatalities. While traffic offenses and crashes decreased, fatalities increased by 7%. The FRSC urges the public to refrain from dangerous practices and focus on improving road safety nationwide.
In 2024, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) reported a disturbing trend, with 411 individuals losing their lives while attempting to scoop fuel from overturned tankers. This figure accounts for 7.6% of the total fatalities recorded across the country. Despite this, the FRSC noted a reduction in the overall number of traffic violations and crashes compared to the previous year.
The FRSC’s Corps Marshal, Malam Shehu Mohammed, highlighted a 26% improvement in road safety compliance, with a notable decrease in traffic offenders. From January to December 2024, 21,580 traffic offenders were arrested, down from 29,220 in 2023. Additionally, road traffic crashes (RTCs) dropped by 10%, from 10,617 in 2023 to 9,570 in 2024.
While the number of injured people decreased slightly, from 31,874 in 2023 to 31,154 in 2024, the overall death toll from road incidents saw a 7% rise, with 5,421 fatalities in 2024 compared to 5,081 in 2023. The FRSC attributed the rise in deaths to fuel scooping, a dangerous practice that continues to claim lives after tanker accidents.
The FRSC is calling for heightened public awareness and enforcement to discourage fuel scooping, a practice that continues to contribute significantly to avoidable fatalities on Nigerian roads.
