Tragedy struck on Monday, January 29, 2024 at about 3 am, in the Obitti Community in the Ohaji/Egbema Council Area of Imo State, as a result of an explosion resulting from illegal oil bunkering, claiming several lives, properties, and farmland.
The incident was reportedly caused by hoodlums engaged in illegal oil activities, using a deep hole in a nearby bush to scoop crude oil into a hired standby tanker.
Suspected vandals emerged during the operation, leading to a gun duel that triggered the explosion and subsequent inferno, resulting in casualties and the destruction of the stationary tanker.
In a viral video on social media, an eyewitness said, “Vandals came to vandalise pipeline right of way. This place is called Ndorama Pipeline, right of way.
“They drove to the place in a tanker suspected to be used for the illegal bunkering. They dug deep into the ground, located the pipeline, and from where they tapped and emptied the oil into a tanker parked inside the bush.
“They used long hoses, connected them to the pipe but unfortunately, luck ran out of them. It exploded and killed many of them. You can see some of them burnt to ashes. Some of them, their bodies are still burning. The tanker is still burning.”
The Imo State Police Command has confirmed the incident and initiated an investigation to determine the immediate cause and apprehend the culprits.
The exact number of casualties is yet to be ascertained.
