Gas Explosion: Commissioner Urges Calm In Rivers Community …As Natives Count Losses

The Rivers State Commission for Environment, Prof Roseline Konya, has called on the people of Evekwu community in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State where a gas explosion occurred last week, to remain calm and peaceful while the actual cause of the explosion is being ascertained.
The commissioner made the call Friday on a visit to the scene of the explosion and assured the community that government would always work towards ensuring that the proper things were being done.
Konya told newsmen that contrary to the earlier report that Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) owned the affected pipeline, it had been clarified that Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC) actually owned the pipeline.
“They should be quiet and calm. We’ve taken photographs and we are trying to find the actual cause of the explosions”, she said.
Konya who said she decided to visit the area personally to see what happened, said all hands were on deck to ascertain the specific cause of the explosion.
“I came with Agip, NOSDRA, NLNG, DPR. The explosion occurred in the bush and I thank God nobody was there otherwise I wonder what could have happened”, she explained.
However CDC chairman of Evekwu/Edogu, Mr Njah Promise, however, disagreed with the commissioner over deaths saying three persons died while other wounded persons were in hospitals receiving treatment.
According to the CDC boss, the community demands that the company responsible should see them and discuss what to do about the deaths and the injured before embarking on repair works on the pipeline.
He explained that by the tradition of the people, those who die in the bush were never brought home but buried in the evil forest to avoid incurring the anger of the god who might visit the community resulting in mass death.
It was not clear if the community invited the police or took photographs of the dead before their burial.
Our correspondent who visited the scene reports that the explosion dug a deep pit and that the impact ant sand dug out, were seen on cassava stems and other economic trees around the site.

Chris Oluoh