Fear Grips Residents As Fresh Gas Facility Explosion Shakes Rivers

Reports indicate that the latest explosion has deepened concerns over the security of oil infrastructure in the region. The Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria) confirmed the incident on Sunday, revealing that its youth volunteers alerted the organization to the early morning explosion at the Soku oil facility, operated by Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Limited.

In a statement signed by its Executive Director, Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, YEAC-Nigeria disclosed that the explosion sent fireballs into the sky, with the fire still burning at the time of the report. However, due to limited access to the facility, the exact cause of the explosion remains unclear.

Speculation continues over whether the blast was caused by equipment failure, sabotage, or a targeted attack. This marks the third such incident in Rivers State within a week, raising serious alarms about oil facility security.

Earlier explosions hit Ogoni and the Oga/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area, incidents referenced by President Bola Tinubu in his March 18 nationwide broadcast, where he declared a six-month state of emergency in Rivers State, citing repeated attacks on the region’s oil infrastructure.

In response, the President suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and all members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, attributing the decision to the governor’s inability to safeguard critical oil facilities.

YEAC-Nigeria has called for an immediate investigation into the Soku explosion, urging the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) to conduct a Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) to determine the cause and hold responsible parties accountable under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), 2021. The organization demanded swift action to curb the escalating threats to the Niger Delta’s oil sector.