No fewer than two people have been confirmed dead following a petroleum tanker explosion in Omerelu community in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Several buildings around the area were also burnt by the fire.
The explosion occurred on Tuesday after the tanker, containing petroleum products, collided with another petroleum tanker which was stopped by members of the task force at a checkpoint along the Port Harcourt-Owerri Road.
An indigene of the community, who confirmed the incident, alleged that the members of the task force attempted to extort the drivers of the petroleum tankers when the incident happened.
According to community sources, “The presence of the IGP Petroleum taskforce has caused a lot of issues that has set houses in Omerelu on fire, threatening tankers, stopping oil bunkerers, collecting money from them.
“This morning part of Omerelu is gone, lives have been lost . We have lost two persons with others injured”.
“As I speak with you, the youths have mobilized in Omerelu, they have destroyed their various checkpoints. They are asking the state government to come and remove them and take them away from Omerelu community”.
The Rivers State Police Command is yet to comment on the incident.
The incident happened barely 48 hours after 9 persons died in an accident involving a bus conveying people to a traditional marriage and a truck in the Etche Local Government Area of the state.
