…Urges Government To Legalize Artisanal Refineries
The Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria) has called for a thorough investigation into the recent explosion at an illegal fuel depot in Omoku, Rivers State, which killed five people.
The blast happened in a residential area where illegally refined petroleum products were stored and sold to the public.
The group also warned residents and youths against involvement in pipeline vandalism, crude oil theft, artisanal refineries, and trading in illegally refined petroleum products.
THEWHISTLER learned that the depot was used to store condensate and other petroleum products, which were often purchased and resold to members of the public.
The cause of the explosion is yet to be officially confirmed, but it is believed to have been triggered by the volatile nature of the stored products.
In a statement, Dr. Fyneface Dumnamene, Executive Director of YEAC-Nigeria, expressed concern over the incident and emphasized the need for the Federal Government to take concrete steps to address the issue.
He urged the government to legalize artisanal refineries in the Niger Delta region through the establishment of the proposed Presidential Artisanal Crude Oil Refining Development Initiative (PACORDI) and/or modular refineries.
He said: “Members of the Advocacy Centre youth volunteers network under the auspices of the One Million Youth Volunteers Network of Human Rights Defenders and Promoters in the Niger Delta in ONELGA told the Executive Director of YEAC-Nigeria, Dr. Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, that the incident occurred in the late hours of Saturday, April 26 by about 11AM, killing five persons, four females and one male burnt beyond recognition.”
The group believes that legalizing artisanal refineries would mitigate incidents of this nature and provide a safer and more regulated environment for oil refining in the region.
They argue that this would also help to reduce the risks associated with pipeline vandalism and crude oil theft.
“We also used the opportunity to renew our call on the federal government to legalise artisanal refineries in the Niger Delta through the establishment of its July 27, 2020, proposed Presidential Artisanal Crude Oil Refining Development Initiative (PACORDI) and/or modular refineries for artisanal refiners in Nigeria’s Niger Delta region to mitigate incidents of this nature,” the statement added.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the incident and casualties, saying the investigation is ongoing. She said that the blast occurred while a resident was using a cooking stove to make noodles, adding that one of the victims was a woman who came to purchase the product. Iringe-Koko stated, “What really caused the fire was that a resident brought a cooking stove to the place and was preparing noodles, which ignited the fire. “She and three other women were burnt beyond recognition, and sadly, they lost their lives, including one of them who came to buy condensate (illegally refined kerosene). Investigation is ongoing.”
