A fuel tanker crash in Ogoja Ndep, Cross River State, led to an explosion that killed 20 people last week, while a man with a physical disability survived because he could not walk to the site to scoop fuel. The tanker, transporting Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) from the NNPC Depot in Calabar, veered off the road and crashed into a steep hill about 20 kilometres from Ogoja Urban. The driver and his passenger died immediately. Residents, including a pregnant woman named Maria, rushed to collect fuel from the ruptured tank, some making multiple trips with 20 to 25 litre jerricans. A disabled man from the village, speaking anonymously, said Maria had scooped two cans and was going for a third when the explosion occurred, killing her and her husband. He stated, "If I could walk to that place, I would not be here speaking to you. My bad legs, the legs I have cried about all my life became my salvation. If I were healthy like others, by now I would be dead." Soldiers struggled to keep villagers away from the scene, and the Public Enlightenment Officer of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Ogoja, Abbey Edet, said public warnings have been repeated in the past with little effect. A young woman from a neighbouring village said a faulty generator brought to transfer remaining fuel was backfiring and sparked the blast. The explosion was so intense that those nearby were engulfed instantly. Edet noted that without soldiers on site, the death toll could have exceeded 100. A similar incident was reported in 2006/2007 in the same area, killing several, including a student who had just completed his SSCE at Government Technical College, Ogoja.
A man's lifelong sorrow over his disability became the reason he survived a disaster that took 20 lives, exposing how desperation overrides danger in impoverished communities. While soldiers tried to hold back crowds, the lure of free fuel proved stronger than fear of death, even after prior tragedies. The same warnings have been issued before, yet nothing changes when hunger outweighs caution. A faulty generator sparked the fire, but the real ignition came from systemic neglect and the daily struggle to survive.
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