Another explosion has occurred in Rivers State, this time at the Soku oil facility in Akuku Toru Local Government Area, barely a week after major explosions rocked Trans Niger Pipeline in Bodo, Gokana and Oga/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Areas of the state.
The Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria), confirmed the explosion on Sunday.
The grassroots NGO, with a strong presence in the Niger Delta, disclosed that its youth volunteers had alerted the organization about the early morning blast at the Soku oil facility, operated by Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Limited.
In a statement signed by the Executive Director, Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, YEAC-Nigeria revealed that an explosion, accompanied by fireballs, was heard and seen rising from the facility.
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“The fire is still ongoing as of the time of this report,” the statement noted. However, the facility remains difficult to access, and the exact cause of the explosion is still unknown.
YEAC-Nigeria also called for an immediate investigation into the latest Soku explosion, as they urged the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) to conduct a Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) to determine the cause of the explosion and ensure accountability.
“Perpetrators of this crime must be held accountable in line with the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), 2021,”
YEAC-Nigeria stressed in the statement, as they demanded swift action to address the escalating violence in the region.