Dozens of people believed to be illegal miners have been killed by an explosion that rocked a pipeline tapping point in Rumuekpe community, Emohua Local Government Area, Rivers State in the early hours of Friday.
NIGERIACRIME gathered that incident, which happened at about 2am on Friday, claimed the lives of dozens, including women.
It was also gathered that the victims of the explosion were people engaged in the business of illegal refining of stolen crude oil.
Confirming the unfortunate incident, the Executive Director, Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria), Fyneface Fyneface, said the explosion started when the driver of one of the buses conveying the illegal crude kicked the ignition of the bus.
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Fyneface, who confirmed the incident through the centre’s Crude Oil Spill Alert System (COSAS), disclosed that the explosion caused inferno that reportedly burnt dozens of people beyond recognition.
The incident, which occurred along the Trans-Niger Delta Pipeline (TNP), also burnt many vehicles and tricycles to ashes.
It was gathered that persons around the tapping point, who had either loaded the crude or waited for their turns were all killed by the explosion.
YEAC-Nigeria has been campaigning against crude oil theft, environmental pollution and leading the advocacy for the provision of alternative livelihood opportunities for artisanal refiners in the Niger Delta for the past 12 years through the promotion of modular refineries promised by the Federal Government.
The Spokesperson of the State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko confirmed the incident to our correspondent, saying, “The Divisional Police Officer in already on his way to the scene.”