At least five persons have been confirmed dead following an explosion that occurred in a residential area of Omoku, the headquarters of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State, on Saturday.

Confirming the tragic incident, the Environmentalist and Executive Director of the Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre, Fyneface Dumnamene, in a statement said the incident occurred in the late hours of Saturday, April 26,

According to Dumnamene, the explosion happened in one of the rooms used for storing illegally refined petroleum products, including kerosene. He revealed that the occupants regularly bought and stored the products for resale to members of the public.

READ ALSO:

“The incident occurred in the late hours of Saturday, April 26, killing five persons — four females and one male — who were burnt beyond recognition,” the statement said.

The Rivers State Police Command also confirmed the explosion and casualties. Police Public Relations Officer, Grace Iringe-Koko, attributed the cause of the explosion to negligence, explaining that a resident had brought a cooking stove into the area to prepare noodles, which ignited the highly flammable materials.

Saturday’s explosion adds to a series of similar incidents in Rivers State.

“In March, two major explosions were recorded one at the Trans-Niger Pipeline in Bodo, Gokana Local Government Area, and another at a pipeline manifold in the Omwawriwa community in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni.

In response to the persistent security and safety challenges in Rivers State, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu declared a state of emergency in March, suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, and appointed retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas as the state administrator.

Authorities have reiterated warnings against the storage and distribution of illegally refined petroleum products, citing the ongoing risks to lives and property.