Young graduate, pregnant woman dey among pipo wey die for Ibaa explosion

Over 30 pesins don die afta explosion happun for one illegal oil bunkering site for Ibaa Community for Enohua local goment area of Rivers State, Southern Nigeria.

Dis na di second time dis year wey dis kain explosion dey happen and dey claim many lives for di area.

State Commandant of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps Rivers State Command, Basil Igwebueze wey confam di incident to BBC Pidgin condemn di activities of pipo wey dey engage in vandalism of oil pipelines and operate local illegal refineries for di State.

For statement wey di NSCDC tok tok pesin SC Olufemi Ayodele sign, Commandant Basil say di fire outbreak start very late Sunday night and 18 victims dey burnt beyond recognition while rescuers try rescue 25 injured pesins.

"From our preliminary findings, we gada say wetin cause di fire na say di local refinery cooking pot dey constructed close to oil reservoir wey contain combustible materials, so as di burning temperature dey too high, e come cause di fire outbreak."

Di NSCDC commandant add say dem also discover say di owner of di cooking pot also sustain serious fire injuries while im son wey be fresh graduate unfortunately die on di spot as well as anoda pregnant woman.

For September 2023, di Command Anti-vandal Squad recently take over and dismantle one local refinery wey bin dey under construction for Umuechem, Etche Local Goment of Rivers State.

Di NSCDC Commandant condemn how pipo still dey deal illegally in petroleum products with di construction of local refineries wia dem dey syphon crude oil to process am locally, despite efforts of di command and oda security agencies to destroy a good number of illegal oil bunkering site and oil dumps across di State.

Chairman of Emohua local goment area Dr. Chidi Lloyd as e also confam di tragic incident say e dey unfortunate say despite goment advocacy on di dangers of illegal oil bunkering residents of oil-bearing communities still continue to dey involved in di dangerous illegal business.

E call on traditional rulers to speak out about criminal activities wey dey go on for dia domains.

“Di world fit bear me witness say I don do a lot of advocacy about di dangers of illegal oil bunkering for my local goment, but unfortunately, dem no dey gree listen. Traditional rulers get a role to play in dis kind of situation. E no dey enough to fight for recognition by goment, but dem no go lead di pipo well so we fit avoid dis kain tragedy.”

E also raise concerns about di role of security operatives, especially, di military to address di situation for Ibaa Community as e say e bin don raise alarm about illegal oil refining activities for dis communities to security agencies without dia necessary action.

“E no dey as if dem no dey aware of wetin dey go on. I always ask dis question: how dis pipo dey transport dis crude wey di security agencies no dey intercept and arrest dem? Army formation dey Ibaa so how dem fit engage in dis kain activities wey di military pipo no know about am?"

Similar explosion happen for March 2023, for Rumuekpe also in Emohua LGA, wia di explosion for illegal oil bunkering site burn plenti pipo including women and small pikin dem beyond recognition.

Di incident happen for site wia dem bin dey steal petroleum products on di Trans-Niger Delta Pipeline (TNP) wey dey pass through di community.