Metro

12 Persons Scooping Fuel Die In Rivers Explosion

Published

2 years ago

March 3, 2023

Editor

No fewer than 12 persons have been confirmed dead following an early morning explosion at a crude oil tapping point in Rumuekpe community, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State.

The incident occurred at about 2am on Friday when one of the buses loaded with crude went up in flames while trying to navigate to an illegal refining point in the area.

An environmentalist and executive director Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre, Fyneface Dumnamene confirmed the incident to our correspondent.

Dumnamene said the explosion occurred at the Trans Niger Pipeline operated by the Shell Petroleum Development Commission.

He stated, “Report reaching YEAC-Nigeria through its Crude Oil Spill Alert System and members of its One Million Youth Volunteers Network of Human Rights Defenders and Promoters in the Niger Delta” in Rumuekpe Community, Emuoha, has it that an explosion at a crude oil tapping point has left many people dead.

“The explosion happened at about 2am today, Friday, March 3, 2023 when one of the buses that was loaded with crude oil to drive to another area where the refining will take place in artisanal refineries kicked his vehicle leading to the explosion.

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

He added that all those who were at the exact tapping point in the “pit” got killed while some of those who had loaded the crude and waiting to load including women have been killed by the explosion.

It was leant that security operatives and firefighters have been deployed to the scene as of the time off filling this report.

The spokesperson of the Rivers state Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko also said four vehicles, a tricycle and one motorcycle were burnt to ashes.

The statement added that “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.

“Five vehicles, four Keke NAPEP, and one motorcycle were all burnt to ashes.”

Metro

Edo Police Arrest Four Suspected Cultists

Published

3 hours ago

June 24, 2025

Editor

Edo Police Command said it has arrested four suspected cultists allegedly responsible for cult violence in Auchi and its environs of the state.

In a statement, the command’s Public Relations Officer, CSP Moses Yamu said, the suspects, who were arrested during a joint operation, belong to different cultist groups.

The statement reads partly, “On 22/06/2025, operatives of the Command’s Anti-Cultism Unit in a joint operation with Jattu and Auchi Divisions embarked on a house-to-house arrest of cultists.

“These four (4) suspects were arrested in various locations in Auchi; Musa Murphy 25yrs of No 35 Ogeneni area Jattu, Auchi a member of Arobaga Confraternity, Gabriel Moses 25yrs of ECocota-Community, Auchi a member of Aye Confraternity, Michael Ayo 23yrs of No1 Emeke Uzuire, Auchi member of Eiye Confraternity and Philip Sunday 24yrs of Ebira camp, Auchi a member of Vikings Confraternity.”

Yamu expressed the state Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika’s assurance to the “general public of the Command’s resolve to rid the State of cultism while the suspects would be charged to court as soon as the investigation is concluded.”

Metro

Chaos In Court As Ex-convict Attempts To Escape

Published

7 hours ago

June 24, 2025

Editor

A dramatic scene unfolded on Tuesday in an Ilorin Area Court as an ex-convict, Segun Samuel, attempted to escape from the court premises, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

The Prosecution Counsel, ASP Samuel Mayowa, who witnessed the incident, told NAN that the ex-convict cunningly removed the chains from his leg with a broomstick, walked towards the restroom and scaled the court fence.

“He has four different criminal cases in this court. One of the cases was heard on Monday, and he was sentenced to one year’s imprisonment.

“In the second criminal case, he was sentenced to six months of community service, and the third case was supposed to be heard today, before he pulled that stunt,” he said.

Luckily, he said, the police officers in the court premises and the prison warder swung into action and pursued him.

He said that after a thorough search, and with the help of the community, the ex-convict was found in a dilapidated building at Oke-Suna Area, Ilorin.

The Correctional Service officer, he said, was called, and the ex-convict was captured and returned to custody

Metro

One Dead As Police Foil Kidnap Attempt In Kogi

Published

9 hours ago

June 24, 2025

Editor

The Police Command in Kogi has confirmed the death of one passenger in a foiled attempt to abduct passengers along the Obajana-Oshokoshoko road in the state.

A statement on Tuesday in Lokoja by SP Williams Ovye-Aya, the command’s spokesman, said the feat was part of a series of bold operations carried out in the command.

Ovye-Aya said that on June 23, the Obajana Division operatives foiled the attempted abduction of passengers along the Obajana-Oshokoshoko road.

“The police patrol team responded promptly to sporadic gunfire and engaged the hoodlums in a gun duel, forcing them to flee.

“All passengers were successfully rescued, but six sustained injuries, and one later died while receiving treatment,” he said.

He further stated that the command, in a separate incident, arrested two suspects in Ayingba for possession of firearms and recovered several exhibits on June 21.

He said the two arrested suspects were found in possession of a locally made pistol, live cartridges, and suspected Indian hemp.

Again, he disclosed that on June 22, operatives of the Okene Division intercepted a Nissan vehicle with five passengers heading towards Auchi.

He said that during a search, one passenger escaped, leaving behind a bag containing a submachine gun (SMG) rifle, live ammunition, and other exhibits.

The spokesman listed the recovered items as “1 SMG rifle with breach number 5197, 1 magazine, 28 live rounds of 5.6 mm, 1 live G3 round, a locally made pistol, 2 live cartridges and other items.”

Ovye-Aya quoted the commissioner of police, Miller Dantawaye, as reassuring citizens of the command’s commitment to ensuring the safety of lives and property in the state.

(NAN)