Not less than 20 persons reportedly died in an explosion from an illegal pipeline tapping point in Omoku, Ogba/Egebema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.
According to source, the explosion happened on Christmas Eve when some youths broke a pipeline operated by one of the multinationals.
Many of the indigenes rushed out to scoop fuel thus resulting in the accident.
While 20 persons reportedly burnt to death, many others sustained injuries and are receiving treatment in various hospitals in the area.
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The source, who spoke in confidence, said: “It is a very terrible incident. Imagine the death of 20 people at such a time.
We learnt some youths burst a company pipeline. If you go to the General Hospital and other private clinics in Omoku, you will see many of the injured taking treatment.”
He said: ”Let me join in condemning the oil bunkering going on within ONELGA. We are also calling on security agencies to be up and doing and checkmate what is happening within that circle.
“We also call on the multinationals that own the oil facilities to overhaul their ageing facilities to forestall such incidents.”
Assistant Secretary of a vigilante group, Onelga Security Peace Advisory Council, Emeka Agbabere, insisted that the incident was caused by illegal oil bunkering.
Agbabere said the vigilante group, the Community Development Committee and youths had been asked by a monarch in the area to stop illegal bunkering.
He said: “We proclaimed they must put a stop to it and this is the aftermath of it. When they busted the pipeline, fire engulfed immediately and 19 of them died instantly and about 12 are in two different hospitals.”
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has said the Air Component of Operation Delta Safe, on December 23, destroyed six illegal oil refining sites in Opu Arugbana, Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State.
A statement yesterday by the Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, said the air strikes were in continuation of efforts to rid the Niger Delta of activities of oil thieves and oil pipeline vandals.
He said the illegal sites were sighted clustered within a radius of about 80 metres at a location about 6 nautical miles south of Opu Arugbana. According to him, having been confirmed to be active, authorisation was obtained to destroy the six sites, thus discouraging the criminals from continuing with their acts of illegality.
“In spite of the festive season, air operations against criminals in the Niger Delta and other parts of the country continue unabated. The Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, has commended efforts of the Air Component Commanders in all the theatres of operation.
“Abubakar, who spent the Christmas day with troops in the Northeast and currently in Katsina to fete troops, urged them not to rest until criminal activities are reduced to the barest minimum,” he added.
