Tragedy struck on Friday in Ovelle-Nvakaohia village, Rumuekpe community in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State, when a fire outbreak at an alleged oil theft site roasted over 20 persons to death.

Women, hired to package the stolen product, were most affected, and were paid N1,000 per drum.

The fire was said to have gutted a pit used by some persons for oil bunkering activities.

Although the Rivers State Police Command had noted while confirming the development that 12 people died, a source in the community claimed that more than the number confirmed by the police in the state were involved.

It was gathered that about five cars, four tricycles (popularly called Keke napep) and some motorcycles used for transporting stolen crude oil were destroyed in the incident.

The source who pleaded anonymity told Sunday Vanguard that the vehicles were loaded with the stolen product packaged in sacks.

Victims were scooping crude oil — Police

The spokesperson of the police in Rivers, Grace Iringe-Koko, a Superintendent of Police, stated that the victims were scooping crude oil from the pipeline when the fire ignited.

She said: “Preliminary investigation by the Police Command indicates that the victims were scooping crude product when the site caught fire.

“So far, about 12 persons are believed to have been burnt to death. The identities of the victims are still unknown.

“Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in the state has again admonished members of the public to stay away from illegal oil bunkering.”

Women have abandoned their farms

A youth leader in the community, Uchechukwu Loveday, disclosed that more women died in the incident than men.

According to him, women were the ones used by oil thieves in sacking the crude oil into bags for transportation. He added that women have abandoned their farms to face the illegal dealing of petroleum products.

Loveday said those women were paid up to N10,000 at the end of every successful day.

“Women are the ones that got burnt more because they are the ones doing the kegging. The oil thieves pay them per drum and one drum is one N1000. So, all the women that were there doing the kegging were the most affected. Before now. women don’t do this kind of work.

“However, since the bunkering business came up, all the women got involved because they make up to N10,000 in a day. About seven persons died inside the pit where they were scooping the crude. Many of them outside died also while some are in the hospital”, he explained.

Alive to Responsibility — NOA

The National Orientation Agency, NOA, has tasked the government to up its game in the security lives and property of the people as it was their primary responsibility.

The Rivers State Director of NOA, Young Ayotamuno, said the security agencies must do more to stop oil theft in the state.

He said: “We sympathise with those that have lost their lives, but, again, it is our national asset that was being tampered with.

“Two wrongs cannot make a right. Since lives are involved, the primary function of government is the protection of lives and property, we believe that government will step up its activities to checkmate activities of bunkerers.

People burnt beyond recognition — YEAC

However, the Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre, YEAC, described the development as tragic.

The Executive Director, YEAC, Fyneface Dumnamene, in a statement in Port Harcourt, said its sources revealed that the victims were buying and selling crude oil at the point before the fire incident.

Fyneface said: “The explosion and fire which has left dozens including women dead and burnt beyond recognition with many vehicles and tricycles burnt to ashes at the tapping point said to be on the Trans Niger Delta Pipeline (TNP) that passed through the community.

“We have been campaigning against crude oil theft, and environmental pollution and leading the advocacy for the provision of alternative sources of livelihood.” (Sunday Vanguard)

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