Abdullahi Bilal

On January 18, 2025, a catastrophic explosion at Dikko Junction in Niger State claimed the lives of at least 98 individuals and injured 69 others. This tragedy unfolded when a fuel tanker, laden with approximately 60,000 liters of petrol, overturned,resulting into local residents gathering to scoop the spilled fuel. The subsequent explosion not only resulted in a significant loss of life but also destroyed at least 20 nearby shops, causing property damage estimated in the millions of Naira.

This incident is not an isolated one. In October 2024, a similar disaster in Jigawa State resulted in over 140 fatalities. Such recurrent tragedies are symptomatic of deeper systemic issues rooted in the capitalist structures that prioritize profit over human safety and well-being.

The removal of fuel subsidies by President Bola Tinubu in 2023 led to a significant surge in fuel prices. This policy shift exacerbated economic hardships for many Nigerians, compelling individuals to engage in perilous activities, such as collecting spilled fuel from overturned tankers, in an attempt to alleviate their financial burdens. The Dikko Junction explosion is a stark example of how economic desperation, fueled by capitalist policies, can drive people to risk their lives for basic necessities.

Nigeria’s reliance on road transportation for fuel distribution, due to an inefficient railway system, has led to frequent and often fatal accidents. The poor state of roads and inadequately maintained vehicles are direct consequences of systemic neglect and lack of investment in public infrastructure. Under a capitalist framework, where profit maximization often supersedes public welfare, such critical investments are deprioritized, resulting in hazardous conditions for the populace.

The recurring nature of these disasters raises pressing questions about corporate accountability and governmental responsibility. Oil companies and transport corporations, driven solely by the greed for profit, often compromise on safety standards and vehicle maintenance to reduce operational costs. Concurrently, government agencies tasked with enforcing safety regulations frequently lack the resources or political will to hold these entities accountable, leading to a regulatory environment where negligence prevails, and public safety is compromised.

These tragedies underscore the urgent need to restructure societal priorities, placing human welfare above profit. This entails substantial public investment in infrastructure, including the development of efficient and safe transportation networks, inclusive of the development of an efficient public managed railway system that would transit the movement and haulage of fuel  gas, and containers across the country on a more safer rail transport system. Added to the above is the need for the establishment of robust regulatory frameworks to ensure corporate adherence to safety standards. Moreover, addressing economic disparities through equitable policies can mitigate the desperation that drives individuals to engage in life-threatening activities.

The Dikko Junction explosion is a tragic manifestation of the systemic failures inherent in a neocolonial backward capitalist structures that prioritize profit over people. To prevent such disasters in the future, it is imperative to adopt a socialist approach that emphasizes collective well-being, equitable resource distribution, and stringent accountability for entities that endanger public safety. Only through such a paradigm shift can we hope to avert the recurrence of these preventable tragedies and build a society that truly values human life above economic gain.