The Rivers state police command has confirmed the crude oil explosion that rocked a community in Emohua local Government area in Rivers state, the PPRO who responded swiftly to a text message said details are still emerging but a twelve victims have been confirmed dead. A Source within the community said a certain Keke that actually came for loading caused the spark. so far the figures we are hearing from community is very alarming with Women having large number of casualty.
However the Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria) had reported through its Crude Oil Spill Alert System (COSAS) and members of its “One Million Youth Volunteers Network of Human Rights Defenders and Promoters in the Niger Delta” in Rumuekpe Community in Emohua Local Government Area has it that explosion at a crude oil tapping point has left many people dead.
The Explosion happened at about 2AM today, Friday, March 3, 2023 when one of the buses that has loaded with crude oil to drive to another area where the refining will take place in an artisanal refineries kick his vehicle leading to the explosion.
The explosion and fire which has left dozens including women dead and burnt beyond recognition with many other vehicles and tricycles burnt to ashes at the tapping point said to be on the Trans Niger Delta Pipeline (TNP) that passed through the community.
The Executive Director of YEAC-Nigeria who has been campaigning against crude oil theft, environmental pollution and leading the advocacy for the provision of alternative livelihood opportunities for artisanal refiners in the Niger Delta for the past 12years through the promotion of Modular Refineries promised by the Federal Government, proposed the establishment of “Presidential Artisanal Crude Oil Refining Development Initiative (PACORDI)” as was as the establishment of “Network Against Organized Crime in Nigeria and the Gulf of Guinea (NAOCINAG” was called and informed of this latest development and death of many pipeline vandals.
The report further said all those who were at the exact tapping point in the “pit” got killed while some of those who had loaded the crude and waiting to load including women have been killed by the explosion.
Advocacy Centre can conform from the eyewitness information and other sources that confirmed the incident at the community that men of the Nigeria Arm area already at the scene of the incident with the Police said to be on the way to the scene making it difficult for photographs and videos to be taken.
YEAC-Nigeria will update the public with photographs with this incident and more informing as they are received from the scene in the community.
Signed,
FYNEFACE DUMNAMENE FYNEFACE,
Executive Director, YEAC-NIGERIA