Indorama Eleme Petrochemical Ltd IEPL has refuted the reported death of some persons during its operations early last week at the Okrika Jetty in the Okrika local government area Rivers State.
Reports had it that between 37 to 42 persons died after inhaling poisonous substance during the loading of a vessel at the Okrika Jetty but Major Fidelis Omunakwe Akandu (Rtd), Coordinator of Pipeline Surveillance at Indorama, at the weekend dismissed reports linking the company to the alleged deaths of scores of persons who were alleged to be scooping petroleum products during the loading of the vessel.
He described the claims as “blatant lies” and “malicious allegations”, saying he had been stationed at the company’s jetty facility since Monday to oversee the loading of products onto a vessel, insisted that no such incident occurred within the facility or along the pipeline corridor.
He explained that a stakeholders’ meeting involving security agencies and relevant authorities was convened before the commencement of the product transfer operation to ensure a smooth and secure exercise.
Akandu added that the meeting was attended by representatives of the Nigerian Navy, Operation Delta Safe (OPDS), 6 Division Garrison and other stakeholders responsible for securing the 7.5-kilometre pipeline stretching from the Indorama petrochemical complex to the jetty.
According to the retired military officer, he had remained at the facility throughout the operation and would have been aware if any fatal incident had occurred.
He said; “I have been here since Monday. I sleep here, I take my bath here, I do everything here. If anybody died, where is the corpse?” he asked.
Akandu queried the basis of reports alleging that between 37 and 40 persons died while scooping products from a ruptured pipeline conveying products from Indorama.
“Even if one person died, where is the corpse? I need the corpses. I am speaking on behalf of Indorama. I need the corpses,” he said.
He clarified that the product being loaded was not fuel in the conventional sense but a by-product known as Crack C5, which is generated during the company’s production process and later utilized for industrial purposes, including aviation fuel.
Akandu acknowledged that individuals sometimes illegally tamper with pipelines to siphon products for sale, but stressed that such activities were criminal acts carried out without the company’s knowledge or approval.
While conceding that pipeline vandalism and illegal product theft had occurred in other parts of the area, he maintained that no such incident took place in Okrika during the ongoing loading operation.
Akando therefore urged those making the allegations to provide verifiable evidence, insisting that Indorama had no connection whatsoever to the reported deaths.
Some villagers from some of the pipeline host communities along the pipeline right of way from Port Harcourt refinery to the Okrika Jetty also confirmed that there was no fatal incident around there communities.
One of them named John E. A told journalists that he didn’t know where the story of deaths and mourning in Okrika was coming from.
He said; “Like we, where we dey now Ibia Ama community and the whole of the mainland of Okrika, I don’t think there’s that type of problem.
So, I don’t if something like that happened somewhere, but here like you can see us now if, we have problem we wouldn’t have been drinking.
However, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in statement on the incident stated that its investigation into the incident revealed that some yet to be confirmed number of persons lost their lives during an pipeline vandalism.
Chief Superintendent Olufemi Ayodele, S.A. Media & Communication, NSCDC Rivers State Command said that following assessment and surveillance by its undercover team of the affected area it “was able to sight four (4) corpses believed to be connected to the incident”.
“One of the victims earlier identified was TARIBO Levia, whose remains have reportedly been buried according to the traditional customs of the community. Other deceased persons reportedly sighted include Ogoloma Tamunoene Fred, Amiso, and Belema Siyerminma from Ngabiri.
He noted that the initial casualty figures circulating in the aftermath of the incident were not fully verified 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.
“It is also important to clarify that security agencies, including the Operation Delta Safe (OPDS) Joint Task Force, have been providing security coverage around the facility. However, the location where the incident occurred is considerably distant from the Joint Task Force’s designated Area of Responsibility (AOR), which is relevant to understanding the circumstances surrounding the incident” Ayodele stated.
