A fresh explosion has hit a gas facility in Rivers State, raising safety concerns and fears of casualties. Authorities are investigating the cause of the blast.
A few days following a major explosion on the Trans Niger Pipeline in Bodo, located in Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State, another blast has been reported at the Soku oil facility within Akuku Toru Local Government Area.
The Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria), a grassroots environmental organization with deep connections throughout the Niger Delta, confirmed the incident on Sunday.
In a statement issued by Executive Director Dr. Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, YEAC announced that its youth volunteers reported an early morning explosion at the facility managed by Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Limited.
A statement reported that an explosion, along with fireballs, was heard and observed in the sky near a hard-to-access facility area. The fire is still active at the time of this report.
The cause of the explosion has not been identified yet.
This is the third explosion at an oil facility in Rivers State within a week. The first incident took place in Ogoni, and the second occurred in Oga/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area—an event mentioned by President Bola Tinubu during his nationwide address on March 18, when he announced a six-month state of emergency for the state.
In response, the President suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, the Deputy Governor, and the Rivers State House of Assembly due to alleged failures in safeguarding crucial oil infrastructure.
The decision was prompted by a viral video in which some youths issued threats against the impeachment of Governor Fubara.
YEAC-Nigeria has called on the authorities to promptly investigate the explosion at the Soku facility. The organization also urged the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) to carry out a Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) in order to identify the cause of the incident.
“The statement concluded that those responsible for this crime should be held accountable according to the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), 2021.”
