Rivers-Omoku: 30 Dies in Rivers Illegal Oil Tapping Explosion

30 people have been reported dead in an explosion caused by an illegal oil tapping of a pipeline located in Omoku, Rivers State’s Ogba/Egebema/Ndoni Local Government Area.

The explosive tragedy that took 30 lives while leaving many injured struck on Sunday morning, as reported, was caused by some youths allegedly breaking a pipeline belonging to one of the multinational oil firms operating in the areas and started using jerrycans and buckets to scoop fuel.

However, they alleged youths, in an attempt to light mosquito coils due to the swampy environment, have led to the tragic blow effect as a blowback to oil bunkering theft in the Omoku region of Port-Harcourt, Rivers State. While many suffered a huge degree of level burns, most are under treatment in various public and private hospitals receiving medical attention.

The chairman of the Niger Delta Youth Movement, ONELGA chapter, Emeka Ukwuosah, advised youths in the area to engage in meaningful activities and shun oil bunkering. He also urges the multinational oil firms in that region to fix leakages caused by obsolete pipelines along the Omoku route.

In his address speech to the press, he stated, “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 ageing 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.

The Assistant Secretary of a vigilante group in the area, Onelga Security Peace Advisory Council, Emeka Agbabere, blamed the tragic occurrence on illegal oil bunkering.

Agbabere said the vigilante group, the Community Development Committee and youths were directed by a monarch in the area to stop oil bunkering activities there.

He expressed dismay that despite their repeated campaigns for the youths to stop illegal bunkering, they refused to listen.

He said: “We proclaimed that they must put a stop to it, and this is the aftermath of it. When they burst the pipeline, fire engulfed immediately, and 19 of them died instantly and about 12 in two different hospitals.”

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Mayowa Durosinmi

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M. Durosinmi is a West Africa Weekly investigative reporter covering Politics, Human Rights, Health, and Security in West Africa and the Sahel Region

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