By John Moses
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on Wednesday led a large-scale public safety and simulation exercise in Kano aimed at preventing fuel tanker-related disasters — a recurring threat in Nigeria’s urban and transit corridors.
Held at the NNPC depot in Hotoro, the initiative brought together multiple stakeholders from emergency services, law enforcement, academia, and the fuel transport sector in an effort to raise public awareness, promote safer driving practices, and enhance inter-agency response coordination.
Dr Nuradeen Abdullahi, NEMA’s Territorial Coordinator for Kano and Jigawa States, emphasised that fuel tanker explosions pose a significant risk to lives and infrastructure. “Disaster management is not the job of one agency. It is a collaborative, multidisciplinary effort,” he said, urging drivers to avoid substance abuse and to prioritise safety behind the wheel.
The exercise included live demonstrations of coordinated emergency responses to fuel spills and fire outbreaks, with participation from the Federal Fire Service, Red Cross, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), and others.
Representatives of Kano State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), including Executive Secretary Alhaji Isyaku Abdullahi-Kubarachi, echoed the call for professionalism among fuel transport workers. “Trailer drivers must use the knowledge gained here to operate more responsibly,” he said.
The NDLEA’s Kano State Commander, Mr Abubakar Idris-Ahmad, represented by Deputy Commander Bulus Musa, warned of the fatal consequences of combining drug use with fuel transport. “Mixing drugs with highly flammable materials is a disaster waiting to happen,” he cautioned.
Alhaji Sanin Malam, Chairman of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers Union in Kano, reiterated the union’s zero-tolerance policy on drug use and nighttime driving. “Any driver caught violating these rules will face serious consequences,” he said.
The event concluded with stakeholder discussions and academic presentations. Dr Suleiman Yunus of Bayero University Kano (BUK) presented a paper advocating for
