The recent petrol tanker explosion that occurred along the Agaie-Bida road, once again, re-echoed the agony which many communities along all the failed sections of federal highways in the country have, over the years, continued to suffer. This latest incident, which was largely a consequence of the terrible state of the road, further exposed the government's attitude to human life.
More than 40 people including children and women died in the petrol tanker explosion that occurred on Tuesday October 21, 2025 at Essa village along the Agaie-Bida road in Niger State. No fewer than 40 others were also injured in the incident.
It would be recalled that two separate tanker explosions occurred on March 22, 2025 in Niger State. One was along the Badeggi-Agaie road, and the second in Kontagora. Before then, 58 lives were also lost on September 8, 2024 in an explosion on the same Agaie-Bida road. A worse tragedy occurred on January 18, 2025 along Abuja-Kaduna highway at Dikko Junction in Niger State when a petroleum laden tanker carrying 60,000 litres of petroleum product exploded. The disaster claimed 105 lives, injured several others, and destroyed property worth millions of naira. Available data from the Niger State Emergency Management Agency showed that tanker explosions across Niger State, especially on the Agaie-Bida road have claimed no fewer than 194 lives between August 2024 and October 2025.
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More than 80 per cent of petrol tanker accidents that lead to disastrous explosions are said to be caused by the appalling condition of roads, in addition to the desperation of some people who rush to the scene to scoop for fuel. Many times, accidents occur when motorists are forced to swerve in order to avoid the deep potholes on these roads.
While we urge relevant government institutions to enforce the law on 45, 000 litres of petroleum product as maximum load for petrol tankers, we similarly encourage the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), the National Orientation Agency (NOA) and local leaders to intensify community-based sensitisation, particularly in rural and high-risk areas, to educate residents against scooping fuel from the crash sites of petrol tankers.
Again, the critical state of many Nigerian roads account for the steady rise in the breakdown of vehicles on the roads. After every trip, long or short, transporters and private vehicle owners are left with the burden of replacing bent rims, damaged shock absorbers, or burst tyres.
There's no geo-political zone where long distances of federal roads are not in a bad shape. From the North to South, and from the West to East, many roads have become unmotorable, and unsafe. Erosion has, in many instances, washed away the surface of most parts of the roads. Commuters spend two or more hours travelling over a distance that should ordinarily not last more than 30 minutes.
Travellers spend hours in traffic gridlocks often caused by broken down vehicles. Traffic is usually blocked, sometimes for as many as five days, when a truck or trailer gets stuck in the mucky sections of the failed road. The roads become more difficult to navigate at night especially where signages do not exist.
Aside of increased rate of accidents, the deplorable state of federal roads dissuades investors, inflates cost of transportation, and by extension, cost of food items. It has also slowed down economic activities in many communities as some of the failed sections of federal roads especially the Agaie-Bida highway is a national economic lifeline whose neglect has cost more lives and resources than the price of its repair. The roads have equally become a source of insecurity as kidnappers have turned the bad portions on the roads into an indispensable hub for their criminal activities.
Speaking during his recent inspection visit of the Abuja-Kaduna highway on Tuesday October 28, 2025, the Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi blamed the failed roads on construction model; adding that "the administration of President Bola Tinubu is not just constructing, but building roads."
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However, we believe that it makes no sense to embark on projects that do not impact directly on the life of most Nigerians to the detriment of life-threatening roads. Even though not a bad idea in an ideal situation, the building of coastal roads, ostensible legacy projects of the current administration, should not be a priority in the context of the existing failed roads. This is even as the job of a minister of works is not just about building new roads. The fixing of dilapidated roads is also part of his mandate.
Daily Trust calls on the federal government to immediately declare a state of emergency on federal roads. This emergency should consider exploring the tax credit scheme to fund the fixing of these roads, considering how it once worked favourably. The long abandoned intervention model where states repair federal roads and thereafter get reimbursed should also be reconsidered. Roads are critical to national economy. Repair all the failed roads.
