Dozens of people have been killed by an explosion that occurred at a pipeline tapping point in Rumuekpe community, Emohua Local Government Area, Rivers State.
Persons reported dead were said to be engaged in the business of illegal refining of stolen crude oil.
The Executive Director, Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria), Fyneface Fyneface, confirmed the incident through the centre’s Crude Oil Spill Alert System (COSAS).
Fyneface said the explosion happened at about 2am on Friday when a driver kicked the ignition of one of the buses loaded with stolen crude oil.
The bus was being used to transport the siphoned crude oil to the location of the illegal refineries.
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The explosion caused inferno that reportedly burnt dozens of people including women 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.
Soldiers and police were said to have rushed to secure the scene.
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.