PORT HARCOURT – Barely a week after a in Bodo, Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State, another
An explosion has reportedly struck an oil facility in Nigeria’s southern state of Rivers, barely a week after an explosion rocked the Trans Niger Pipeline, a major oil artery transporting crude from onshore oilfields to the Bonny export terminal.
Rivers, in the Niger Delta, is a major source of crude oil and militants have in the past blown up pipelines, hampering production and exports.
The state has been embroiled in a political crisis pitting factions of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) against each other. The state lawmakers had also threatened to impeach the governor and his deputy.
Tinubu, in a television broadcast last week’s Tuesdsy, said he had received security reports of “disturbing incidents of vandalization of pipelines by some militants without the governor taking any action to curtail them”, with the two legislative chambers, the Nigerian Senate and the House of Representatives – approving the federal takeover.
“With all these and many more, no good and responsible president will standby and allow the grave situation to continue without taking remedial steps prescribed by the constitution to address the situation in the state,” added Tinubu.
However, the Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria), a grassroots NGO with strong networks across the Niger Delta, confirmed the latest explosion at the Soku oil facility in Akuku Toru Local Government Area on Sunday.
In a statement signed by its Executive Director, Dr. Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, YEAC said it received reports from its youth volunteers about an early morning explosion at the Soku oil facility operated by Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Limited.
According to the statement: “An explosion accompanied by fireballs was heard and seen in the sky from the facility area, which is difficult to reach. The fire is still ongoing as of the time of this report.”
The cause of the explosion remains uncertain, with speculations ranging from: Equipment failure, Sabotage, Deliberate attack.
According to a local newspaper, this marks the third explosion at oil facilities in Rivers State in less than a week. The first occurred in Ogoni, while the second was in Oga/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area, an incident referenced by President Bola Tinubu in his March 18 nationwide broadcast while declaring a six-month state of emergency in Rivers State.
Following these incidents, the President suspended: The Rivers State House of Assembly, Deputy Governor and Governor Siminalayi Fubara, citing his alleged failure to protect oil infrastructure
The decision followed threats by some youths in a viral video warning against Governor Fubara’s impeachment.
YEAC-Nigeria has called for an urgent investigation into the Soku explosion. The group urged the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) to conduct a Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) to determine the cause.
“Perpetrators of this crime must be held accountable in line with the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), 2021,” the statement concluded.
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