According to the One Million Youth Volunteers Network, the explosion occurred around 11am on Saturday, April 26.
An explosion suspected to be from illegally refined petroleum products at a residential building in Omoku, headquarters of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State, has killed five persons, including four women, on Saturday.
The Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria) confirmed that the explosion occurred in a building where illegally refined petroleum products were being stored.
Dr Fyneface Dumnamene, the executive director of YEAC-Nigeria, stated, “The Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria) has received and confirmed reports of an explosion and fire incident at a storage of illegally refined petroleum products in Omoku, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area (ONELGA) of Rivers State.”
He further explained, “The inferno is said to have occurred in a house where people purchased and stored illegally refined petroleum products, including condensate, for resale in the area.”
According to the One Million Youth Volunteers Network, the explosion occurred around 11am on Saturday, April 26.
“The incident occurred in the late hours of Saturday, April 26 by about 11am, killing five persons, four females and one male burnt beyond recognition.”
Dr Dumnamene used the incident to renew calls for the legalisation of artisanal refineries in the Niger Delta, saying, “We also used the opportunity to renew our call on the federal government to legalise artisanal refineries in the Niger Delta through the establishment of its July 27, 2020, proposed Presidential Artisanal Crude Oil Refining Development Initiative (PACORDI) and/or modular refineries for artisanal refiners in Nigeria’s Niger Delta region to mitigate incidents of this nature.”
Grace Iringe-Koko, the spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command, confirmed the explosion and casualties, PUNCH reports.
She added that the fire was triggered when a resident used a cooking stove.
“What really caused the fire was that a resident brought a cooking stove to the place and was preparing noodles, which ignited the fire,” Iringe-Koko said.
“She and three other women were burnt beyond recognition, and sadly, they lost their lives, including one of them who came to buy condensate (illegally refined kerosene). Investigation is ongoing,” she added.
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