At least five people were confirmed dead after the residential explosion, where an illegally refined petroleum product was stored in the OGBA/EGBEMA/NDONI Local Government Area (Onelga) in Rivers.
The Center for Young People and Environmental Advocacy (Yeac-Nigeria) confirmed the explosion and the subsequent fire, which occurred on Saturday, April 26.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Nigeria’s executive director Dr. Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface said: “The incident happened around 11 a.m. and claimed that the lives of five people (four women and one male) were burned. ”
Call for investigation and caution
Fyneface urged authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident and warned residents and young people not to participate in transactions in pipeline damage, crude oil theft, manual refining and illegal refined petroleum products.
He said:We warn residents not to store illegal petroleum products at home to avoid ugly incidents of this nature. ”
Fyneface also reiterated its call on the federal government to help alleviate this frenzy by establishing a proposed Presidential Artisanal Refinery Program (PACORDI) or modular refineries to legalize the artisanal refineries in the Niger Delta.
Police confirm the incident
Grace Iringe-Koko, public relations officer for the Rivers State Police Department, also confirmed the explosion.
Iringe-Koko said in a conversation with Vanguard:This is a stored condensate kerosene product. Someone brought a lighting stove close to the place where the product was stored for cooking, which ignited the fire. ”
She added that the four were confirmed dead in the explosion and promised:Police will investigate the matter. ”
