By Dickson Osas: – Authorities have declared a petrol tanker owner, identified as Erharuyi Osarodion, wanted for his truck alleged involvement in illegal oil bunkering and a crash that caused massive damage.
According to investigators, one of Osarodion’s truck drivers allegedly diverted a tanker for bunkering operations on December 30, 2024, in Delta state, South – South Nigeria.
It was gathered that security operatives, while Acting on intelligence, pursued the vehicle, but the chase ended tragically when the truck crashed, causing colossal damage.
Sources said the truck driver escaped and remains at large, while Osarodion, the owner of the tanker has been linked to the incident and is wanted for questioning.
Illegal oil bunkering, ranging from crude theft to diversion of refined products remains one of Nigeria’s most costly economic crimes.
Analysts have estimated that billions of naira are lost annually to the black-market trade.
Beyond financial losses, pundits have said bunkering worsens environmental degradation, sustains criminal networks, and endangers communities that often bear the brunt of pipeline vandalism and tanker accidents.
Meanwhile, the crash also highlights the persistent danger posed by petrol tankers on Nigeria’s highways. From Lagos to Onitsha and Port Harcourt, accidents involving fuel trucks have left trails of death, destruction and despair.
Also, poor maintenance, reckless driving, and the use of tankers in illicit operations like bunkering, have all been cited to have combined to make tankers a moving hazard.
While Osarodion’s culpability is yet to be established, security officials insist he must answer questions about the use of his truck for an illegal operation that ended in the disaster.
The case, they argue, underscores the urgent need for tighter enforcement, stronger regulation of tanker operations, and a coordinated response to bunkering.
As the manhunt continues, the Osarodion case stands as a stark reminder of how oil theft and tanker tragedies intersect, threatening not just Nigeria’s economy but also the safety of lives and property across the country.
