The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta is not responsible for the explosion that rocked the Port Harcourt Refinery Jetty in Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State on Sunday, the President, Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, Mr. Achese Igwe, has said.
Igwe said over 50 persons were killed by the blast. It said majority of the victims were pipeline vandals that were caught up in the explosion while trying to steal petroleum products.
Media reports had stated that seven persons were killed by the explosion while several others sustained serious injuries, as MEND on Monday claimed responsibility for the blast.
The group’s spokesperson, Jomo Gbomo, had said the attack on the pipelines was part of its ongoing operation codenamed ‘Hurricane Exodus.’
But Igwe, while briefing journalists in Abuja on Thursday, said MEND’s claim was false and might be politically-motivated.
He said, “We read MEND’s claim to be responsible for the explosion that took place in a refinery jetty in Port Harcourt area and I want to make it clear that that information is false. We shouldn’t allow our political class to divert or create a diversionary attention as to what is happening.
“The claim of MEND being responsible for the explosion is 100 per cent false. MEND is not responsible, the area is calm and I wouldn’t want a situation where a false alarm will be raised to investors operating in the oil and gas sector.
“The explosion was as a result of the activities of pipeline vandals. They were at the point of scooping petroleum products when the pipeline that was laid in the water exploded, killing more than 50 persons. And it is not what the media is reporting that it is only seven that died; those that died there were more than 50.”
On how the union was able to figure out the cause of the explosion, Igwe said he visited the scene of the incident and had first hand information on what led to the blast.
He said, “The political class should not be seen as part of the security challenges that we are facing in this country. MEND is a faceless organisation and anybody can claim to be MEND.”
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