…As NSCDC confirms sighting four corpses
Confusion has continued to trail reports of a fatal incident at a jetty in Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State, with a conflicting figures of casualties.
While the exact location of the incident remained unclear, a jetty security surveillance officer, who The Guardian met at the NNPC jetty in Okrika on Saturday during a tour of jetty facilities by journalists in Port Harcourt, dismissed reports that the incident occurred at the Indorama facility, challenging those behind the claim to provide evidence of the alleged casualties.
The conflicting accounts followed reports that several persons died on Wednesday , September 3, after allegedly inhaling fumes from petroleum products while attempting to scoop spilled fuel at a jetty in the area.
While some reports put the death toll at 37, others cited 40, 10 or “over 10” victims, prompting concerns over the actual number of casualties and the precise location of the incident.
Some reports alleged that the incident occurred at the Indorama facility, but findings at the jetty showed no evidence of such an incident.
However, the Rivers State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) yesterday confirmed that its personnel had sighted four corpses believed to be connected to the incident.
The Command said the incident occurred at Jetty Creeks in Okrika, where some persons were allegedly involved in an attempt to scoop or recover petroleum products.
In a statement, the Chief Superintendent and Special Adviser on Media and Communication to the NSCDC Rivers State Command, Olufemi Ayodele, said an undercover team deployed to assess the situation and conduct surveillance in the affected area sighted four corpses.
He said the development had necessitated further verification of the identities of the deceased and the circumstances surrounding their deaths.
Ayodele explained that the casualty figures circulating shortly after the incident were largely unverified and may have been overstated.
“The Command is therefore relying on information obtained through its ongoing field assessment and investigation to establish the actual number of victims,” he said.
He said, one of the victims earlier identified was Taribo Levia, whose remains were reportedly buried according to the traditional customs of the community.
Other deceased persons reportedly sighted included Ogoloma Tamunoene Fred, Amiso and Belema Siyerminma from Ngabiri.
The Command said it had commenced further investigation and information gathering in collaboration with relevant stakeholders to establish the immediate and remote causes of the incident, identify all the victims and determine whether anyone remained unaccounted for.
But a security personnel monitoring pipeline activities around the Indorama facility at the NNPC jetty in Okrika disputed reports linking the alleged deaths to the Indorama jetty.
Speaking to journalists during a visit to the facility, retired Major Fidelis Akando, Coordinator, Pipeline Surveillance, said he had been at the jetty since Monday and there was no any fatal incident there.
He said: “Since Monday, I have been here because the company has a product that they are lifting into the ship. You saw the ship. No such incident happened here.
“I have been here . I sleep here, I take my bath here, I do everything here. Nothing of such happened here, otherwise,Where is the corpse?
“You have seen the distance from the jetty to this place. If anybody actually died, is there anything that would make me not see it? I have access to the jetty and can even enter the ship.”
Akando challenged those making claims of mass deaths at the Indorama facility to produce evidence, saying, “If they claim there were deaths, they should provide the corpses. I need to see the corpses.”
He, however, acknowledged the danger associated with petroleum products, particularly aviation fuel, warning that unauthorised attempts to access or scoop such products could have fatal consequences.
“The aviation fuel itself is dangerous. If you go to take it, it is dangerous. Indorama has not employed anybody to rupture the pipe,” he said.
He described the reports suggesting otherwise as malicious.
Aslo speaking , residents of Ibilia community,in Okirika , said, they are not aware of such incident in the community.
Jacob Fenable, male, 50 , said residents had not witnessed the reported mass deaths or fire at the Indorama facility.
“We have been in this place for 22 years. We have not heard of any such deaths here,” he said.
Also, Mrs. Elizabeth Ojonogecha,also said, nothing of such happened in the area.
The NSCDC, however, said the location of the incident was Jetty Creeks but did not specifically name the exact creek, stressing that the circumstances surrounding the deaths remained under investigation.
The Command also clarified that security agencies, including the Operation Delta Safe Joint Task Force, had been providing security coverage around critical facilities in the area.
The command noted, however, that the location where the incident occurred was considerably distant from the Joint Task Force’s designated Area of Responsibility.
The NSCDC warned members of the public against vandalism, illegal tampering with petroleum infrastructure, unauthorised access to oil facilities and the dangerous practice of scooping petroleum products.
It said such activities were not only criminal but could result in fatalities, serious injuries and environmental damage.
The Command further urged residents of oil-producing and riverine communities to desist from activities capable of endangering their lives and promptly report suspicious activities around critical national assets to security agencies.
“We remain committed to protecting critical national assets and infrastructure in Rivers State and will continue to work with sister security agencies and relevant stakeholders to safeguard lives and property,” the Command stated.
