Panic as lunatic sets fuel truck ablaze in Bayelsa

Workers of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Mega
Filling Station along the Sani Abacha Expressway in the Bayelsa State
capital and customers who stopped by to refuel their vehicles were
reportedly thrown into panic, Tuesday, following a failed attempt by a
deranged man to set a fuel tanker ablaze.
The incident which caused pandemonium in the area, it was learnt,
occurred at about 11 am.
The deranged man identified as an indigene of Emede in Delta State was
also discovered by the police to be in possession of pictures of
prominent indigenes of the state, some kilogrammes of canabis and
powdery substance suspected to be cocaine during a search carried out
ata public bus stop structure he was using as a home.
It was learnt that the man popularly known as "Professor" gathered
plastic and cartons to make fire and push it under the stationery
lorry loaded with 33,000 litres of petroleum products.
Six fuel tankers, according to eyewitnesses, were waiting to discharge
their consignment at the mega filling station.
"Before we knew it, we saw thick smoke and fire engulfing the tire of
the oil tanker," one of the eyewitnesses said.
It was learnt that some motorists, hawkers, workers at the filling
station and the nearby church took to their heels for fear of possible
explosion.
However, some motorists and workers were said to have made for the
fire extinguishers in their cars and others at the filling station to
put out the fire.
The deranged man reportedly took to his heel and boarded a tricycle
popularly known asKeke Napepbut was chased and apprehended.
Thereafter, angry mob descended on him but he was rescued following
theintervention of men of special police patrol team, Operation Doo
Akpor.