- The death toll of Abia pipeline explosion has reportedly risen to 150
- A monarch revealed how security operatives were collecting N1000 bribe from people to allow them scoop oil before the explosion
The chairman of Osisioma local government traditional rulers council, Eze Ikechukwu Chiavoghilefu, has confirmed that about 150 person died from the Friday, October 12 pipeline explosion in the area.
The monarch said most of the victims who were rescued from the explosion died at the hospital, Vanguard reports.
He said: "About 70 persons were packed to the health clinic near my palace on the first day it happened. All of them are now dead. Up to 150 have so far died.”
Another monarch from the area, Eze Godswill Mgbarime of Umueze accused security operatives of causing the disaster, as they were collecting the sum of N1000 from the villagers that came to scoop fuel, instead of preventing them from entering the site.
He said: “When the leakage occurred, some security men arrived the place and, instead of doing their job, they were collecting N1,000 from each person that came to scoop fuel there."
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NAIJ.com earlier reported that the Abia command of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) confirmed the death of 19 persons, following Friday’s pipeline explosion in two villages in Osisioma local government area of the state.
The state commander of the organisation, Benito Eze, confirmed the number of casualties to newsmen in Umuahia. Eze said that 16 persons, including one woman, died in the explosion that occurred around 2.47 a.m at Umuaduru Village in Umueze autonomous community.
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Source: Naija.ng
