Many Dead, As Pipeline Explosions Rocks Rivers

Many persons have been reported dead after a pipeline tapping point exploded in Rumuekpe community, Emohua Local Government Area, Rivers State.
An eyewitness Fyeneface Dumeneme Fyeneface, the Executive Director Advocate Centre For Good Environment, said the incident which occurred at crude oil tapping point belonging to a multi-national oil company left many people dead.
Fyeneface said the explosion happened at about 2:00am on Friday when one of the buses that was 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 load including women have been killed by the explosion.
“Advocacy Centre can conform from the eyewitness information and other sources that confirmed the incident at the community that men of the Nigeria Arm area already at the scene of the incident with the police said to be on the way to the scene making it difficult for photographs and videos to be taken,” he said.
Rivers State Police Command Public Relations Officer, SP Grace Iringe, said she would contact the Divisional Police Officer in charge of the area to find out what happened.