The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Tanker driver

  • Tanker driver threatens strike over impounded trucks, consignments

    Tanker driver threatens strike over impounded trucks, consignments

    • Issues two-week ultimatum to IG

    Through its national secretariat, the Petroleum Tankers Drivers Branch of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (PTD-NUPENG) yesterday threatened to withdraw its trucks from depots.

    It has served a two-week ultimatum on the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun.

    In a statement by the union’s National Chairman, Augustine Egbon, the ultimatum is to protest the wrong seizure of members trucks by the task force set up by the office of the IGP.

    The PTD- NUPENG as part of its resolutions at its NEC meeting held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, had earlier urged the police boss to curb the excesses of the task force members on petroleum products on federal highways.

    Egbon noted that two trucks laden with Automotive Gas Oil ( AGO) were wrongly impounded by the task force between July and August in Funtua, Katsina State and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

    He said the efforts of the union to assist the federal government in making petroleum products available and ease the sufferings of Nigerians, is being undermined by the task force.

    The PTD- NUPENG boss claimed that despite documents showing the depots where they were loaded and evidence of genuine certification by the statutory regulatory agencies, the task force team held on the the trucks.

    Given the fresh two-week notice, Egbon warned that failure to accede to its demands will result in withdrawal of services from the depots.

    Read Also: JUST IN: Petrol Tanker drivers block Ebonyi roads over alleged extortion

    He said: “The truck with registration number, GRY 155XA loaded 49,000 litres of AGO at Prudent Energy Limited in Oghara, Delta State. The destination was Sokoto but it was impounded in Funtua, Katsina State on July 31, 2024.

    “The second truck with registration number, TWD272XA, with 45,000 litres of AGO loaded the products at Integrated Oil & Gas in Apapa, Lagos. Its destination was Yobe State before it was impounded in August  in Abuja.

  • Policeman allegedly kills tanker driver over N1,000

    There was chaos at Trinity, Ajegunle area of Lagos State yesterday after a policeman allegedly shot dead a tanker driver for refusing to part with N1,000.

    The suspected killer-cop was said to be an operative of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) posted to Ajegunle to tackle traffic robbers along the Mile Two-Apapa axis.

    It was gathered that trouble started after the driver insisted that he only had N500 to give the policeman, who got infuriated and fired the driver.

    Other drivers who witnessed the incident were said to have descended on the policeman, who was rescued and taken away by his colleagues.

    The policemen, who rescued the trigger-happy cop, allegedly shot in the air to scare the mob before they took their colleague away.

    Not satisfied, the tanker drivers were said to have mobilised their colleagues from other parts of the state and they laid siege to the road to Apapa, worsening traffic congestion.

    A source said the protesters burnt tyres on the road, while hoodlums capitalised on the protest to rob people.

    The Nation learnt that some vehicles were vandalised, while commercial activities were paralysed.

    As people scampered for safety, it was gathered that many sustained injuries.

    A driver, Danladi Usman, said: “We are being over extorted. We pay N1,000 to the police. We pay to officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA) and to local government officials. To worsen the matter, we pay to area boys. The extortion is becoming a burden on us. If we do not have money, they make us to pay with our lives. Is it a crime to be a truck driver?”

    Police spokesman Chike Oti said details of the incident were still sketchy.

    He said: “There was a crisis in the area and we heard that someone died in the crisis. The Commissioner of Police, Imohimi Edgal, has directed investigation into the matter. At the end of investigation, anyone found culpable will be prosecuted. However, the outcome of the investigation will be made known to the public.”

     

     

  • Panic as tanker driver kills mortuary operator

    There was pandemonium at Rumosi axis of Obio/Akpor Local government Area of Rivers State yesterday following the killing of a mortuary operator by a tanker driver.

    The victim, Anele Wagbara, was reportedly attacked and subsequently stabbed to death by the unidentified tanker driver and his conductor after a slight argument over parking space.

    Eyewitness account said trouble began when late Wagbara appealed to the truck driver to move the long vehicle out of the mortuary gates along Choba – Uniport way of the East West road to enable easy movement in and out of the business premises.

    It was said the appeal did not go down well with the driver leading to serious argument.

    Suddenly, the aggrieved driver and his conductor pulled their dagger and pierced it through their victim who slumped immediately.

    Onlookers reportedly rushed him to the emergency care unit of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) where he was later confirmed dead.

    Sources also alleged the assailants attacked two other attendants attached to the mortuary while they attempted to interfere and are currently hospitalised.

    It was said an angry mob descended on the duo after realising he had killed the attendant.

    They were later handed over to the Police who arrived the scene shortly.

    The development caused panic in the Rumuosi axis of Port Harcourt, as indigenes trooped out for reprisal attack but were stopped by security men.

    Police Public Relation Officer, Nnamdi Omoni confirmed the incident to our correspondent on phone.

    He said the driver was receiving treatment in a hospital and will be charged to court for murder upon discharge.

    Omoni said remains of the deceased had been deposited to the mortuary while normalcy has returned to the area.

     

  • Tanker driver arraigned over alleged fraud

    Tanker driver arraigned over alleged fraud

    The Police yesterday arraigned a 52-year-old tanker driver, Oladiti Lukman, in an Iyaganku Chief Magistrates’ Court in Ibadan for allegedly obtaining N400,000 under false  pretence.

    Lukman, a resident of Ilekun Ayo Seeni village, Apata, Ibadan, was arraigned on a two- count charge of fraud and stealing.

    The Prosecutor, Sunday Ogunremi, an Assistant Superintendent (ASP) told the court that Lukman  collected the N400,000 from  one Daramola Olubode of  23, Amunigun area, Ogunpa , Ibadan, on the pretext of  selling a plot of land to him.

    Ogunremi said the offence contravened sections 390 (9) and 419 of the Criminal Code Cap 38, Vol II, Laws of Oyo State,  2000.

    The accused pleaded not guilty.

    Chief Magistrate Abdulateef Adebisi granted the accused N200, 000 bail with two sureties in the like sum.

    Adebisi adjourned the case till February 13.

  • Driver injured as another tanker falls in Lagos

    Driver injured as another tanker falls in Lagos

    A tanker driver on Friday sustained injuries after his 33,000 litres Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) laden tanker upturned in Lagos.

    The incident which occurred at Abraham Adesanya roundabout in Ajah at about 4am was the third in the state this week.

    It was gathered that the accident was caused by over speeding and recklessness on the part of the driver who was coming from Eleko.

    The Nation gathered that the tanker marked LND650XQ fell and spilled its content on the road.

    Firemen from the Lagos State Fire Service as well as emergency workers from the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) were said to have condoned off the area initially and blanketing the fuel to prevent fire outbreak, while vehicles were diverted to other routes by officials of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) and Lekki Concession Company (LCC).

    Confirming the incident, LASEMA’s General Manager, Michael Akindele said no life was lost.

    He said: “The agency received the distress call at about 4:56am and activated its emergency response team promptly to the scene. The driver of the truck sustained injuries and was treated by LASAMBUS. No mortality recorded.

    “Transloading and rescue operations ongoing. Drivers are advised to desist from over speeding and recklessness, especially the rush to load and offload products because of its availability.”

  • Kogi: Tanker driver shot dead by police

    Kogi: Tanker driver shot dead by police

    A policeman was Thursday reportedly killed a tanker driver along the Okene-Lokoja road in Kogi State following an argument between them.

    The incident which occurred in Osara in Adavi Local Government Area, led to traffic gridlock on the ever busy road as tanker drivers took over the road in protest.

    Thousands of commuters were stranded as the drivers blocked the road with their trucks.

    The state commissioner of police, Mr. Bensan Gwana who visited the scene said the policeman involved has been arrested and will be prosecuted for the offense.

    The commissioner said he has pacified the tanker drivers to open up the road for the commuters to move to their various destinations.

    He warned trigger happy policemen to desist from harming innocent people adding that the law will take its cause on any offender.

     

  • ONE KILLED, 6 INJURED IN OGUN CRASH

    ONE KILLED, 6 INJURED IN OGUN CRASH

    One person died, while six others sustained various degrees of injuries when a petrol tanker rammed into four other vehicles and caught fire yesterday at Owode Junction, Otta, Ogun State.

    The Unit Commander of Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) in Otta, Mr. Leye Adegboyega, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the accident occurred around 5.30a.m owning  to alleged  carelessness of the tanker driver.

    According to him, the driver of the loaded petrol tanker coming from Lagos and heading to Abeokuta lost control and rammed into four vehicles and caught fire immediately.

    He said that the fire from the tanker spread to nearby houses.

    Properties worth millions of naira were lost in the inferno.

    Adegboyega said that the driver of the tanker, whose name was Wale Olaitan, lost his life while six others including four male and two female sustained various degrees of injuries.

  • Tanker driver dies in Ogun auto crash

    Tanker driver dies in Ogun auto crash

    The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) in Ota, Ogun, said one person died, while six others sustained various degrees of injuries in an accident involving a petrol tanker and four vehicles at Owode Junction on Saturday.

    The Unit Commander of FRSC, Mr Leye Adegboyega, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ota that the accident occurred around 5.30a.m due to the carelessness of the tanker driver.

    According to him, a loaded petrol tanker coming from Lagos and heading to Abeokuta lost control and ram into four vehicles which catch fire immediately.

    He said that the fire from the tanker spread to the neighbouring houses and property worth million of naira was lost in the inferno.

    Adegboyega said that the driver of the tanker, whose name was Wale Olaitan, lost his life while six others including four male and two female sustained various degrees of injuries.

    ”The corpse of the victim had been deposited at the mortuary, Ifo General hospital, Ogun, while others victims were referred to Federal Medical Centre, Idl-Aba, Abeokuta, for an intensive treatment, ‘’ he said.

    He appealed to the Federal, Lagos and Ogun state governments to overhaul the Owode road to prevent re-occurrence of such incident in order to save lives and property.

  • Tanker driver gets N250, 000 bail

    Tanker driver gets N250, 000 bail

    A Surulere Chief Magistrates’ Court yesterday in Lagos granted N250,000 bail and two sureties in the like sum to a tanker driver, Olamilekan Kareem, charged with manslaughter.

    Chief Magistrate A.A. Oshoniyi, said the sureties should provide evidence of tax payment to the Lagos State Government as part of the bail conditions.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Oshoniyi stood in for the Magistrate, Mrs A.F. Adeeyo, who has been handling the case.

    Kareem, 34, who lives at No. 24, Akinloye St., Ibadan, Oyo State, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

    Earlier, the prosecutor, Sgt. Jimah Iseghede told the court that the tanker driver, who allegedly drove recklessly, lost control and knocked down a man, Rasheed Ashimiyu.

    According to him, the 38-year-old Ashimiyu from Opoyeosa Street, Ibadan, was a bus conductor.

    He said the accused committed the offence at Onile Bus Stop on Lagos-Badagry Expressway at about 1.30 p.m. on June 30.

    Iseghede noted that the offence contravened Section 20 of the Road Traffic Laws of Lagos State.

    The case was adjourned to July 31 for mention.

  • Suspected oil bunkerers ‘kill’ three policemen, tanker driver

    Suspected oil bunkerers at Oguda in Okene Local Government Area of Kogi State yesterday allegedly killed three policemen and a tanker driver, whose identities are yet to be ascertained.

    The Nation learnt that Oguda, near the boundary between Kogi and Edo states, is a haven for bunkerers, who siphon petroleum products from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation’s (NNPC’s) pipelines.

    A source said although he could not narrate what happened, the police might have engaged the bunkerers in a shootout.

    The source said sporadic gunshots were heard from the direction where the illegal bunkering took place, adding that residents and passersby saw bodies hours after the shootings subsided.

    Police Commissioner Adeyemi Samuel Ogunjemilusi said it was not clear what happened, “but I suspect it was the handiwork of bunkerers.”

    He solicited information that would enable the police apprehend the suspects.