Rivers
How Kerosene Explosion Killed 2 Sisers In Rumuji
The first day of January commonly referred to as the New Year Day is always viewed as a special day hence several social activities and celebrations take place as a way of welcoming the new year.
But as wicked fate may have it, it was on this special day this year that a kerosene explosion chose to occurred in the home of Mr and Mrs Okogbule in Rumuji, Emohua Local Government killing their two beloved daughters.
The Tide gathered that the incident took place at 11p.m the girls, Beauty 12 and her sister Rejoice had winded up celebration of the day and retired to their room for night rest.
Beauty had made to refill their lantern with kerosene as Power Holding Company of Nigeria had taken light and quite unexpectedly the lantern exploded.
An eye witness who narrated the incident to The Tide said immediately the explosion occurred, Beauty’s dress caught fire which later extended to her other sister (Rejoice). Before help could get to them, they had been badly burnt.
The following day being Sunday, Beauty, 12 and JSS I student of Ojims College Rumuji died. Two days later, the other victim Miss Rejoice Okogbule, 8 and primary 3 pupil also of Ojims School who was rushed to the hospital, also died.
Not just the Okogbule’s home alone, neighbours and well-wishers grieved for such unfortunate incident.
Mother of the deceased girls was said to have made several attempts to plunge herself into a nearby Well but for the intervention of close neighbours.
When The Tide eventually met Mrs. Okogbule, one of the parents on Saturday, she said it was quite a heartbreaking incident to the home.
“It was something mysterious. It still looks like dream to me because I still can’t understand but my brother, my two little angles went just like that,” she said.
But what could have caused such a midnight inferno? Some people believe that there could have been a mixture of kerosene with petrol.
“Since the sources of purchase of kerosene in the community are the hawkers and black marketers. Maybe there was a mixture of little quantity of petrol with kerosene at a point or I don’t know,” volunteered one of the kerosene sellers in the area.
The Rivers State Judiciary has denied a media report claiming that Justice Frank Onyiri of the State High Court issued an injunction order restraining the Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd), from inaugurating the newly appointed members of the Rivers State Civil Service Commission (RSCSC).
In a statement issued by the Deputy Chief Registrar in charge of litigation at the High Court, Menenen Poromon (Esq), the state Judiciary disassociated itself from the report, describing it as malicious and fabricated.
The statement emphasized that the report was a falsehood and a misrepresentation of what transpeared in the court.
Poromon clarified that no such order was issued by Justice Onyiri or any other judge of the High Court of the state and urged the public to disregard the information, as it lacked any iota of truth.
The statement however advised the public to verify any information concerning the state Judiciary directly from the office of the Chief Registrar, High Court of the State, to avoid spreading of misinformation.