Reps ask FG to send relief to Edo tanker fire victims at Oluku

The House of Representatives has asked the Federal Government to step in with relief materials, financial help and rehabilitation support for people hit by the petrol tanker explosion at Oluku, in Ovia North-East Local Government Area of Edo State.

The lawmakers passed the resolution on Wednesday, following a motion of urgent public importance moved by Omosede Igbinedion, who represents a constituency in Edo State.

The fire, which broke out on Thursday, 15 October 2026, destroyed shops, stalls, vehicles and goods around Oluku Market. Traders and their families are now counting heavy losses.

What happened at Oluku

According to the accounts given in the motion, a fuel tanker lost control near the market and overturned, spilling petrol. Residents reportedly gathered to scoop the fuel despite warnings from the authorities, and the spill later caught fire and spread to nearby businesses.

Igbinedion told the House that the incident caused loss of lives, serious injuries, extensive damage to property and the displacement of traders. Some victims with severe burns were treated at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital and other facilities, she said.

She said many of those affected lost lifetime savings and now face serious hardship and debt.

The House urged the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to assess the damage and provide relief materials, financial support and rehabilitation assistance. It also asked the Federal Government to work with the Edo State Government to rebuild the affected market and help businesses recover.

Governor Monday Okpebholo was commended in the motion for visiting the scene and the victims, and for pledging to rebuild the damaged market and support traders. Igbinedion argued that the scale of the destruction was too large for the state to carry alone.

Road safety and next steps

The lawmakers called on the Federal Ministry of Works and the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency to urgently inspect and repair dangerous sections of the Benin-Lagos Expressway around Oluku.

They also directed the Federal Road Safety Corps and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, along with other agencies, to investigate how the tanker crashed, how the fuel spilled and how the fire started. The agencies are to recommend ways to stop a repeat, especially in communities where fuel tankers pass close to markets, shops and homes.

The resolutions are appeals and directives from the House. It is not yet clear when NEMA or the other agencies will act, or how much money will be released to victims.

The explosion has again drawn attention to the danger of scooping fuel from fallen tankers, a practice that has killed and injured many Nigerians over the years.