An explosion resulting from illicit oil bunkering has shaken the peaceful oil-producing Obitti Community in the Ohaji/Egbema Council Area of Imo State.
The explosion, which claimed several lives, properties and farmland estimated at several millions of naira reportedly arose from the activities of some hoodlums who dug a deep hole in a nearby bush, fixed a long pipe in it from where they scooped crude oil into a hired standby tanker.
An eyewitness said that while the illegal oil operation was going on, some group of suspected vandals emerged from the bush and engaged the bunkers in a gun duel to disperse them.
The exchange of fire consequently sparked off an explosion with a resultant inferno, which led to deaths and destroyed the stationary tanker.
Those who visited the scene of the disaster reported wailing and lamentation by relatives of the victims whose charred bodies littered the scene.
Subdued by anxiety and trepidation, some residents of the embattled community within the vicinity had fled their homes for fear of possible interrogation by security agencies.
Confirming the incident, the Imo State Police Command through the Public Relations Officer, ASP Henry Okoye said in telephone chat that the Commissioner of Police, CP Aboki Danjuma had already set up a high-powered investigation team to unravel the immediate course of the incident and arrest the culprits.
The police command confirmed the deaths of five vandals in the explosion.
The State’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Henry Okoye, who confirmed the incident noted that the incident happened on Tuesday, January 30, 2024.
“Five vandals were burnt beyond recognition and we are currently investigating it in collaboration with our sister security agencies to unravel the identities of those behind the economic sabotage.
“They went for their normal pipeline vandalism when the incident occurred.
“Our goal is to make sure that similar vandalism does not occur in the future,” the police spokesman, said.
A source, who pleaded anonymity, revealed that the vandals had stormed the Obitti Rubber Estate in the area with an articulated vehicle and dug through to an oil pipeline that passed through the area.
“They dug a hole on the pipeline and connected their long pipe to their tanker to steal oil.
“I cannot say exactly what caused the explosion but I know and from what I saw, many people died, and many others, who narrowly escaped the explosion, sustained various degrees of injuries.
“The fire that raged for hours burnt the tanker and also affected our farm produce worth millions of naira,” the source said.
Recall that in April 2022, at least 100 people lost their lives in a similar explosion that occurred at an illegal oil refining site in Ohaji/Egbema area of the state.
On May 4, same year, two persons also died when a bomb exploded at an oil facility – Addax Petroleum Development Nigeria Ltd., located in Izombe, Oguta Local Government Area of the state.
However, the incident was a suspected bomb attack on the oil facility.
Source: Daily Trust
