“Many people were burned in the fire, men and women,” community leader Ogbona Francis, a farmer, told Reuters from the scene.
At least 12 people were killed today from explosion which occurred in a Shell oil pipeline in Nigerialocal authorities said, while members of the affected community in Imohua said they feared many more were killed in the blast.
A spokesman for Shell Petroleum Development (SPD) of Nigeria Limited said there was a fire on the Rumuekpe-Nkpoku line in Rivers State and that there was cooperation with the authorities to put it out.
Shell Pipeline Explodes in Rivers
No fewer than 12 persons are feared dead following an early morning explosion of pipeline belonging to Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) at Rumuekpe community, Obio/Akpor Local Governmentnt Area of ​​Rivers State pic.twitter.com/VsdP8WxUES
— ARISE NEWS (@ARISEtv) March 3, 2023
Garuba Yabuku, a spokesman for the civil protection agency in Imohua, in Rivers State, the heart of Africa’s largest oil industry, said the incident was reported at around 16:30 (05:30 Greek time).
CDC spokesperson in Rumuekpe, Emohua LGA, Chukwudi Ibe, says illegal oil bunkering is responsible for the explosion that led to the death of some people in Rumuekpe.
An eyewitness from the scene who identified himself as an environmental monitor spoke in a shared video clip. pic.twitter.com/Yzxpr1HPRF
— NigeriaInfoPH (@NigeriaInfoPH) March 3, 2023
“The pipeline was destroyed by fire,” he said from the scene, where fire was still burning from the pipeline next to five burned vehicles next to a palm grove.
“Many people were burned in the fire, men and women,” community leader Ogbona Francis, a farmer, told Reuters from the scene.
Shell Petroleum Development stressed that an investigation by a joint government-led team would begin to find the cause of the incident.
Oil theft and pipeline sabotage are common in Nigeria’s southern oil-producing heartland. The methods used to steal oil often lead to accidents that cause fires.
In April last year, a similar disaster killed 100 people.
Source :Skai
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