Explosion Rocks Rivers Community, Many Feared Dead
Scores of persons are feared dead after an explosion rocked the Rumuekpe community in Emouha Local Government Area of Rivers State.
According to an eyewitness, who is the Executive Director of Advocate Centre For Good Environment, Fyeneface Dumeneme Fyeneface, the incident which occurred at a crude oil tapping point belonging to a multi-national oil company left many people dead.
Fyeneface said the explosion occurred at about 2:00 am on Friday when one of the buses that were loaded with crude oil collided with another vehicle leading to the explosion.
He said the explosion left dozens, including women dead and burnt beyond recognition with many other vehicles and tricycles burnt at the tapping point said to be on the Trans Niger Delta Pipeline (TNP) that passes through the community.
The report further said all those who were at the exact ‘tapping point’ in the “pit” got killed while some of those who had loaded the crude and waiting to move, including women, were also killed by the explosion.
“Advocacy Centre can confirm from the eyewitness information and other sources that confirmed the incident at the community that men of the Nigeria Army are already at the scene of the incident with the police said to be on their way to the scene, making it difficult for photographs and videos to be taken”, he said.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Police Command Public Relations Officer, SP Grace Iringe, promised to contact the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of the area to find out what actually happened. – With Daily Trust reports
