Chaos erupted around the City Gate area of Asaba, Delta State after a fuel tanker developed a leak, prompting scores of residents to rush to the scene with jerrycans and other containers to collect the spilled fuel despite the risk of fire or explosion.
Videos circulating on social media showed people scrambling to fill containers with the leaking fuel as traffic along the busy road ground to a halt.
Witnesses said the tanker developed a fault while travelling along the City Gate axis on Thursday, causing fuel to spill onto the road.
The cause of the leak was not immediately known, and it was unclear whether anyone was injured.
As of the time of filing this report, authorities had yet to comment on the incident or confirm whether emergency responders had been deployed to the scene.
The incident is the latest in a series of fuel tanker-related emergencies in Nigeria, where residents have repeatedly risked their lives by attempting to collect spilled fuel.
Similar incidents in several states have ended in deadly explosions, prompting repeated warnings from authorities against the practice.