Wike Mourns Victims Of Bonny-Bille Jetty Fire Incident ….As First Responders Recover 15 Bodies, Others Missing

The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has bemoaned the deaths and injuries caused by the inferno that occurred at the Bonny-Belle jetty on Monday.
Wike said he was deeply saddened to learn of the casualties and extensive damage to properties caused by the unfortunate incident.
“On behalf of the Government of Rivers State, I would like to offer my sincere prayers for the victims of the fire incident and extend my deepest condolences to their families. I would also like to sincerely pray for early recovery of those who were injured.”
The governor urged the Rivers State Police Command and other relevant security agencies to investigate and unravel the exact cause of this catastrophe.
However, the Rivers State Commissioner for Special Duties, Hon Onowu Emeka Anyasodike, said that only nine people have been confirmed dead.
Anyasodike stated that the fire was caused by an explosion of a cylindergas in a boat containing illegally refined petroleum products.
He assured that the state government, in the next two weeks, would demolish shanties around the jetty.
Some of the first responders who spoke to newsmen at the scene of the incident, said that about 15 bodies, including children, were among those so far recovered at the Bonny-Bille-Nembe Jetty in Port Harcourt.
Eyewitnesses said that despite the onslaught against illegal crude oil refiners by the state government, the affected Jetty remained a hub for the illegal business.
At the time of filing this report, efforts were on to recover more bodies as search and rescue efforts by relevant agencies.
Eyewitnesses told newsmen at the scene that those burnt were about 30 people, including children.
They said most of the burnt passenger boats carried over 60 to 100 people.
Several fibre and wooden boats are said to have been destroyed in the inferno, which started at about 2am, last Monday.
Previous fire outbreaks at the jetty had been attributed to the storage of inflammable substances like petroleum products used in powering the speed boat engines in makeshift buildings within the slump.
The last outbreak at the jetty was in November, 2021 during which several persons were burnt and properties estimated at several millions of naira, destroyed.
The jetty is usually a busy transit point for thousands of residents travelling from Port Harcourt by sea to Bonny, Bille, Nembe, and other riverine communities.