Pipeline Explosion: Death Toll Rises To 10 …MEND Claims Responsbility

L-R: Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Mr Taye Haruna, Minister of Environment, Mrs Laurentia Mallam and Retired Lt.-Gen. Theophilus Danjuma, during the inaugural meeting with officials of T.Y. Holdings Limited and the Nigerian Conservation Foundation on private sector participation in the management of National Parks in Nigeria in Abuja, recently. Photo: Nan

The death toll in the Petrol explosion that occurred Sunday at a Creek near a jetty of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in Okrika, Rivers State is said to have risen to ten as three were said to be recovered at the scene on Monday.
An eye witness told The Tide that the three corpses which were burnt beyond recognition were carried by some persons to an unknown destination, apparently for burial.
When The Tide visited the area Monday, some persons in the area relieved their experiences during the ugly incident.
Aminu Abdullahi, said the explosion jotted the residents and because of the numerous pipes conveying fragile petrol, there was fear that the entire area might be engulfed.
Abdullahi who is a motor cyclist in the area said, “we moved away from Okrika entirely to Eleme and watched the development for hours “it was confirmed that the explosion and the attendant fire did not even get to Okrika jetty that we resumed operations”, he said.
A trader Judith Eze, who operates in Okrika said on hearing the explosion, the first thing that came to her mind was that the Boko Haram Sect had struck.
“You remember, the sect threatened that it would bomb refineries and Abuja. So when I hear that there was explosion at the Port Harcourt refinery, I said , Oh! They have come”, he said.
Miss Eze who operates a restaurant near the refinery said she quickly closed her shop and started packing some of her important items and lifted to Eleme, where, after some hours, it was confirmed that Boko Haram were not the mastermind.
It would be recalled that explosion occurred Sunday at a Creek near the jetty of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in Okrika, killing about seven persons and injuring unconfirmed persons who are now receiving treatment in undisclosed clinics.
However, the Movement for the emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) has claimed responsibility for the incident.
MEND said in an online statement signed by its spokesman, Jomo Gbomo that the attack was in view of President Goodluck Jonathan’s inaction on issues bordering on Niger Delta development.
The militant group said its men in collaborations with some NNPC staff carried out the attack and that such attack on the oil industry would continue until justice is done to the Niger Delta course by the Federal Government.
“The facility was infiltrated by a few of our fighters with the aid of our internal agents within the NNPC contrary to speculation that the sabotage was carried out by pipeline vandals and oil thieves”,, the statement explained.
It said that investigation would reveal that the bomb fragments are the same as the one used in the Warri Refinery explosion of Tuesday 22nd October 2013.
“We will persist with our attack in the Nigerian oil industry, due to the inactions of President Goodluck Jonathan who continues to rally on an unsustainable and fraudulent Niger Delta Amnesty Programme”, said MEND.
Meanwhile, NNPC has denied that any explosion occurred at its jetty at Okrika.
The Group General Manager, Public Affairs Division of the Corporation, Dr. Ohi Alegbe said Fridays from the Corporation’s prelimary investigation revealed that the fire was as a result of the activities of oil thieves who broke pipelines in the Creek near the jetty.
It said non of the corporation’s officers were enjoined or dead and condoled families those who lost their lives as a result of the activities of the oil thieves.
It urged the community leaders in the area to prevail on their children and wards to refrain from sabotaging the government.

Chris Oluoh