…as casualty figure put at about 600
…Buhari orders security agents to hunt organisers
The Imo State government has said it would give a mass burial on Monday (today) to the burnt remains of the victims of a fire outbreak at an illegal oil refinery in the state.
The explosion at the illegal refinery happened on Friday night at the Abaezi forest in the Ohaji-Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State, where the facility is located.
Initial reports had put the number of casualties of the explosion at about 109, but locals say the real figure lies somewhere between 500 and 600, based on the large number of people –men, women, and even children – who patronise the facility.
The head of operations, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mr Ifeanyi Nnaji, said the latest addition was a pregnant woman whose belly bust, exposing the foetus, according to a report by Daily Trust newspaper.
This is coming as President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered security agencies in the country to go after people behind the illegal refineries and bring to book.
Nnaji, who described the scene as horrific, said the charred remains of the victims had been gathered and would be interred in a mass grave today. He said, “We could not have the mass burial today (Sunday). It could probably be tomorrow. I am waiting for a signal from the state government to undertake the exercise.”
Nnaji had earlier told Daily Trust, “We are awaiting the arrival of the commissioners of Petroleum and environment to perform mass burial because the bodies are decomposing.”
“It is a large market involving people from all parts of the country; and since they got burnt beyond recognition, it is very difficult to identify them. A family just came and saw one body, which they said resembled one of their own and they carried it for burial according to traditional rites.”
More details of the explosion have been provided by residents of the communities in the local government area. What is emerging from the narratives is the picture of a well-coordinated illegal oil market, from the refinery to the marketing and supply of supporting services, all taking place inside a forest.
It was not just a refinery in operation in the forest. It also involved stealing of crude oil (bunkering) from the pipelines of oil-producing companies and creating a black market for the full range of refined petroleum products.
Those who died in the explosion were not only the operator but included the patrons – men, women, youths, and even children.
“Sometimes little children that don’t have work to do come here to tie cellophane (bagging materials) and to work for people, while there are other people called buyers. They normally stay here, then go to the normal refinery to refine them into kerosene and diesel,” a community youth, Udogu Godstime, from Obiakpu Community, told Arise TV at the scene of the incident.
He said the explosion was caused by a local fire that came out from where they were refinery the product. “So, everybody that was here got consumed by the fire. No single soul escaped. Almost 400 – 500 people got burnt. None of them escaped,” he said.
Another person, identified by Arise as Abiaziam Tobechukwu, from Agga community, told the Television station that the figures of between 100 and 200 casualties are understatements. “We should be talking about 500 to 600 persons. In the villages (where some of the victims managed to run to with burns) a lot of caskets were buried,” said Abiaziam.
“From my community, we should be counting about 100 to 200 people that were buried. What about other communities?” he asked.
Reacting to the emerging pictures, President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday described the incident as a “catastrophe and a national disaster.”
In a statement by his spokesman Garba Shehu, the President asked the armed forces, security and intelligence agencies to intensify the clampdown on illegal refineries.
According to him, the responsibility for the loss of lives and property must squarely lie with the sponsors of the illegal refinery, who he said: “must all be caught and made to face justice”.
Buhari condoled with the families of the victims, the community, and the people of the state, but asked the urged community leaders and security agencies never to allow the reoccurrence in any part of the country again.