Another explosion Saturday calmed at least five lives in a residential area in Omoku, headquarters of the Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government of Rivers State.
Fyneface Dumnamene, an Environmentalist and Executive Director of the Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre, confirmed the incident in a statement on Saturday.
The blast, it was gathered, occurred in one of the rooms in a residential area used for storing illegally refined petroleum products.
Dumnamene said the occupants of the residence where the explosion occurred usually buy illegally refined kerosene and other products, store them, and resell them to members of the public.
Read the statement in part: “The incident occurred in the late hours of Saturday, April 26, by about 11:00 am, killing five persons, four females and one male, burnt beyond recognition”.
Grace Iringe-Koko, Rivers State Police Command spokesperson, also confirmed the incident and casualties.
She explained the cause of the explosion.
Said she: “What really caused the fire was that a resident brought a cooking stove to the place and was preparing noodles, which ignited the fire.
On March two explosions rocked Rivers State.
The first explosion was at the Trans-Niger Pipeline at Bodo, Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State. The second was at a pipeline manifold in the Omwawriwa community, Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Thereafter, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu declared a stste of emergency in Rivers State, suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, and appointed retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas as administrator on March 18, 2025.
