Pipeline Explosion Kill Many in Imo Community
Tragedy has struck the serene oil bearing community of Obitti, in Ohaji/Egbema local get area of Imo state following an explosion from an illegal oil bunkering has rocked the place.
The explosion, which claimed several lives, properties and farmland estimated at several millions of naira reportedly arose from the activities of some hoodlums who dug a deep hole in a nearby bush, fixed a long pipe in it from where they scooped crude oil into a hired standby tanker.
Daily Trust quoted an eyewitness to have said that while the illegal oil operation was going on, some group of suspected vandals emerged from the bush and engaged the bunkers in a gun duel to disperse them.
The exchange of fire consequently sparked off an explosion with a resultant inferno, which led to deaths and destruction of the stationary tanker used for syphoning fuel from the pipeline.
A visit the scene of the disaster, saw wailing and lamentation by relatives of the victims whose charred bodies littered the scene.
Consequent upon the anxiety and trepidation, some residents of the affected community were said to have fled their homes for fear of possible interrogation by security agencies.
Confirming the incident, the Imo State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Henry Okoye said the Commissioner of Police, Aboki Danjuma had already set up a high-powered investigation 5eam to unravel the immediate cause of of the incident with a view to arresting those involved.
On the number of people that lost their lives during the incident, Okoye, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) who spoke in telephone chat, said he was yet to ascertain the number of deaths.
