A devastating explosion in a residential area of Omoku, the headquarters of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area (ONELGA) in Rivers State, claimed the lives of five people—four women and one man—on Saturday, April 26, 2025. The incident, which occurred around 11 a.m., was triggered by illegally refined petroleum products stored in a house, according to multiple reports.
Fyneface Dumnamene, Executive Director of the Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria), confirmed the explosion in a statement, noting that the residence was used to store and resell illegally refined kerosene and condensate. “The inferno is said to have occurred in a house where people purchased and stored illegally refined petroleum products, including condensate, for resale in the area,” Dumnamene said, adding that the victims were “burnt beyond recognition.” He urged authorities to investigate and cautioned against pipeline vandalism and illicit refining, renewing calls for the legalization of artisanal refineries through initiatives like the Presidential Artisanal Crude Oil Refining Development Initiative (PACORDI).
The Rivers State Police Command, through spokesperson Grace Iringe-Koko, also confirmed the incident, attributing the explosion to a cooking stove. “What caused the fire was that a resident brought a cooking stove into the building and was preparing noodles, which ignited the fire,” Iringe-Koko explained. She noted that among the victims was a woman who had visited to purchase condensate, alongside three residents. An investigation is underway to further ascertain the circumstances.
The explosion underscores the persistent dangers of illegal oil activities in the Niger Delta. Posts on X, including from @PH_Socials and @lindaikeji, echoed reports that the blast resulted from flammable materials igniting during cooking, highlighting the risks of storing volatile substances in residential areas.
This incident follows a pattern of explosions in Rivers State. In March 2025, two separate blasts rocked the region: one at the Trans-Niger Pipeline in Bodo, Gokana LGA, and another at a pipeline manifold in Omwawriwa, ONELGA. These events, linked to oil theft and vandalism, prompted President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to declare a state of emergency in Rivers on March 18, 2025, suspend Governor Siminalayi Fubara, and appoint retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas as administrator.
The recurring tragedies have drawn condemnation from local groups. YEAC-Nigeria and the One Million Youth Volunteers Network called for an end to crude oil theft and home storage of illegal petroleum products, while advocating for safer, regulated refining alternatives. Similar incidents in Omoku, such as a 2023 explosion that killed 25 people at an illegal oil tapping point, highlight the ongoing challenge of curbing illicit oil activities in the region.
As investigations continue, the Omoku explosion serves as a grim reminder of the human and environmental toll of unregulated oil bunkering, prompting renewed calls for systemic solutions to address the root causes of such disasters in Rivers State.
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