By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

A human and environmental right group, FENRAD, in collaboration with other stakeholders have called on respective authorities especially Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Justice and National Human Right Commission to call the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) to order by mandating it to evaluate the damages caused by a pipeline explosion at Umuegusi in Owaza Community, Abia State, on the early hours of Saturday May 7, 2022.

The group said the call is to ensure the families of the victims are not only compensated but also to make certain that the respective environment is disinfected to avoid health hazards.

FENRAD in a “Brief Report on Fire Incidence At Owaza Community in Ukwawest LGA Abia State”, by Comrade Nelson Nnanna Nwafor ED. Foundation for Environmental Rights,Advocacy & Development FENRAD Nigeria, made available to News Express said that its findings showed that an oil pipeline linking Well 9 drilling location at Imo River 1 oil field was at a time shutin by production department of Shell petroleum development company of Nigeria (SPDC) following an uncontrollable illegal bunkering in Owaza.

The report said: “On the 6th of May 2022, the pipeline was shutout or reopened to allow crude oil flow again not knowing that the pipeline was faulty with a serious leakage.

“In the early morning of Saturday May 7, 2022 when the day was still dark, something like smoke filled the airy environment unknown to a family member in the vicinity, she lit a stick of matches to put up fire on her stove, the environment caught fire with heavy explosion.

“The fire explosive incidence claimed six lives leaving two persons in the age range of 15 and 17 in a burnt critical condition receiving treatment in an undisclosed hospital at Obehie Asa, two houses were also razed down leaving the inhabitants of them to homeless state.

“On Thursday May 12, 2022, in the process of on the spot joint assessment of FENRAD group and other CSO members, it was found that some staff of SPDC and Community representatives including the financial and administrative Officer of Greater Ukwawest cluster Development Board (GUWCDB) with heavy Military guide were carrying out some repairs on the damaged pipeline to restore crude oil flow for production.

“Further findings suspected that SPDC was only concerned on how well to restore the flowline leaving the damages caused by the fire explosion unattended.”

It recalled that six lives have already been claimed by the fire incidence leaving two minors in critical fire bunt condition, while two buildings were razed down to dust, leaving their occupants to unsolvable homelessness

FENRAD said its recommendation is to help douse the tension that may likely result to crisis if nothing is done.