Pipeline explosion rocks Rivers; casualty figure unknown, Police say

The Rivers Police Command has confirmed an explosion at a Shell pipeline in Kom Kom Community in Oyibo Local Government Area, on Saturday.

This is even as the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), has denied that the explosion was not on its facility.

Speaking to Tribune Online via the telephone, Nnamdi Omoni, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the command, confirmed that the incident happened when a team of engineers were carrying out a maintenance on the pipeline.

The story of the explosion was first broken in the social media where it was claimed that the explosion was caused by illegal oil bunkering activities and that 40 persons died in the ensuing fire.

But Omoni said: “I can confirm the incident at Oyigbo, where in the course of carrying out their routine maintenance, the Shell pipeline got a fire incident and some persons who went to scoop spilled product were caught in the fire.”

He also confirmed that there were casualties but could not confirm the number of persons,” the number of casualties is yet to be ascertained,” the PPRO said, adding; “However they were able to bring the situation under control by putting out the fire.”

He stressed that, “The fire has been put out and we heard that some persons died in the process but the figure is what I cannot tell you for now until we have been able to get more facts.”

He ruled out oil bunkering or sabotage. “No no no, illegal oil bunkering, sabotage, all of that are ruled out. Shell engineers were there to carry out routine maintenance of the oil pipeline when the fire started.”

But in his reaction when contacted, Spokesman of Shell Petroleum Development Company SPDC, Bamidele Odugbesan, told Tribune Online that he understood the facility was owned by SPDC.

But when told about the police report, he simply said “I cannot confirm that. But if I have any useful information I will call you back.”