No fewer than 20 persons have been confirmed dead following an explosion that occurred from an illegal oil tapping point in Omoku, Ogba/Egebema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.
It was gathered that the incident occurred on Sunday morning, after the youths allegedly broke a pipeline belonging to one of the multinational oil firms operating in the area, and began using jerrycans and buckets to scoop the product.
Confirming the incident, the chairman of Niger Delta Youth Movement, ONELGA chapter, Emeka Ukwuosah, advised youths in the area to engage in meaningful activities and shun illegal oil bunkering.
Ukwuosah said, “Let me join in condemning the illegal 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.
“Secondly, we are also calling on the multinationals that own the oil facilities to overhaul their aging facilities to forestall such incidents.”
On his part, the Assistant Secretary of a vigilante group in the area, ONELGA Security Peace Advisory Council, Emeka Agbabere, blamed the incident on illegal oil bunkering.
Agbabere said the vigilante group, the Community Development Committee and the youths were directed by a monarch in the area to put a stop to illegal oil bunkering activities there.
He however expressed dismay that despite their repeated campaigns for the youths to stop illegal bunkering, they paid a deaf ear.
He stated, “We proclaimed that they must put a stop to it and this is the aftermath of it. When they bursted the pipeline, fire engulfed immediately and 19 of them died instantly and about 12 in two different hospitals.”
The Rivers State Police Command was yet to comment on the matter at press time.
