Pipeline Explosion Claim Lives of Persons in Rivers State

Communities in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government of Rivers State were thrown into grieve following an explosion during an illegal oil tapping point.

The tragedy, TowncrieNews gathered, struck Sunday morning, when some youths allegedly broke a pipeline belonging to one of the multinational oil firms operating in the areas and started using jerrycans and buckets to scoop fuel.

In the process, a spark was said to have occured which ignited a raging fire the killed about 30 persons while many suffered varying degrees of burns and are receiving treatment in different hospitals in the area.

According to a source in the community, “It is a very terrible incident. Imagine the death of 30 people in such a time. We leant some youths bust a company pipeline.

“If you go to the General Hospital and other private clinics in Omoku, you will see many of the injured people scattered all over the place in both government and private hospitals receiving treatment.

“The inferno occurred as a result of attempts by suspected oil thieves to light mosquito coils. 

“The leakage was from an obsolete pipeline belonging to one of the oil companies operating in the area.” 

Also speaking, chairman of Niger Delta Youth Movement, ONELGA chapter, Emeka Ukwuosah, advised youths in the area to engage in meaningful activities and shun oil bunkering.

Ukwuosah said: “Let me join in condemning the oil bunkering going on within ONELGA. We are also calling on the security agencies to be up and doing and check what is happening within that circle.

“Second, we are calling on the multinationals that own the oil facilities to overhaul their aging facilities to forestall such incidents.”