Okogbe Tanker Fire: Villagers Discover More Bodies

Four more decomposing bodies have been discovered around the bush in the site of the inferno that consumed more than 150 people at Okogbe in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State , two weeks after the incident.

The traditional ruler of Igbuduya sub-clan of Ekpeye ethnic nationality, His Royal Highness, Eze Joshua Eyiba disclosed this when a delegation of Akalaka Project, a civil society organisation, paid him a courtesy call in his palace at Okogbe.

Eze Eyiba said the incident, though very unfortunate had brought out the good and ugly sides of the area, saying that in the whole Ahoada West, there were no functional primary or secondary health institutions, a situation that made the casuality figure very high.

He said when the incident occurred, it took fire services from some oil firms operating in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Government Area, and those from neighbouring Bayelsa State about two hours to arrive the scene when that of Rivers State came five hours later.

According to him, the incident had created a lot of social problems for the community because virtually all the families lost one or more people, saying it will take a long time before they could recover from the incident.

He, however, thanked the Rivers State Government for taking proactive actions that ensured that some of the victims now recuperating in different hospitals are well taken care of healthwise.

Eze Eyiba further said that the seven-days mourning period was now over, saying that arrangements were on, for the entire Igbuduya to organise a mass funeral service for the dead.

The traditional ruler while thanking the organisations for their patriotism and show of concern over the incident, advised them to be united and steadfast in their quest to bring the problems of Ekpeye and Ogba to limelight.

Earlier, the Chairman of Akalaka Project, Comrade Che Ibegwara said the body was touched by the high rate of death recorded, and expressed their condolences to the people of Okogbe and other communities also affected.

Comrade Ibegwura who described representatives of the area as mere “tale bearers” in the different lawmaking Houses, called for a change of heart.

He said the organisation plans to organise a series of awareness programmes in the area that would help give insight to people’s responsibility for their neighbours and the society at large.