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Petrol tanker explosion claims 5 lives in Delta – PPRO
The Police Command in Delta says five persons lost their lives in a petrol tanker explosion in the state, police sources said.
The spokesman of the command, DSP Bright Edafe, disclosed this to newsmen on Sunday in Warri, saying the incident occurred on 1 October at Ugbenu in Ethiope West Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.
He said that the tanker, laden with petrol, was heading towards Benin City in the morning when the unfortunate incident happened.
“In the early hours of Oct. 1, 2023, at about 0200hrs, the Command recorded a tragic incident where a tanker, laden with petroleum product, being driven towards Benin on the Warri – Benin Road fell at Ugbenu Koko Junction.
“Its content spilled into the nearby swamp and the spillage attracted a couple of youths who took advantage of the incident and started scooping fuel into jerry cans and other containers.
“While they were at it, an explosion erupted and the fire from the explosion engulfed the whole area.
“The fire claimed lives of five persons among the youths who had come to scoop fuel,” Edafe said.
He said that several properties, including eight buses of different makes, two tankers, five trailers, two motorcycles, a Sienna space wagon and a ‘C’ Class Mercedes Benz car were also burnt.
Edafe said that the remains of the victims had been deposited at the Oghara General Hospital’s morgue in Ethiope West.
He added that police operatives attached to the Oghara division, in collaboration with the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) at Ethiope West, had mobilised to the scene to ensure the free flow of traffic.
Edafe said that the Commissioner of Police, Delta Command, Mr Wale Abass, had expressed his sympathy with the families that lost their loved ones in the incident.
“It is sad that we never learn from past occurrences, since this is not the first time such incident has happened.
“Nonetheless, I appeal that Nigerians should do away with greed and avoid scenes where there is an occurrence of oil spillages.
“It poses a serious threat to their lives and the lives of others,” Edafe warned.
The Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN has warned against obstructing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from carrying out its lawful duty .
Fagbemi’s warning is contained in a statement in Abuja.
“This is a matter of very grave concern, it is now beyond doubt that the EFCC is given power by the law to invite any person of interest to interact with them in the course of their investigations into any matter, regardless of status.
“Therefore, the least that we can all do when invited, is not to put any obstruction in the way of EFCC, but to honourably answer their invitation.
“A situation where public officials who are themselves subject of protection by law enforcement agents will set up a stratagem of obstruction to the civil and commendable efforts of the EFCC to perform its duty is to say the least, insufferably disquieting’’.
He added that running away from the law will not resolve issues at stake but only exacerbate them.
“Nigeria has a vibrant judicial system that is capable of protecting everyone who follows the rule of law in seeking protection.
“I therefore encourage anyone who has been invited by the EFCC or any other agency to immediately toe the path of decency and civility by honouring such invitation instead of embarking on a temporising self-help and escapism.
“This can only put our country in bad light before the rest of the world’’.
He said institutions of state should be allowed to function effectively and efficiently.
“I stand for the rule of law and will promptly call EFCC, and indeed any other agency to order when there is an indication of any transgressions of the fundamental rights of any Nigerian by any of the agencies’’.
NAN reports that the EFCC had on Wednesday warned members of the public that it was a criminal offence to obstruct officers of the Commission from carrying out their lawful duties.
Section 38(2)(a(b) of the EFCC Establishment Act makes it an offence to prevent officers of the Commission from carrying out their lawful duties. Culprits risk a jail term of not less than five years.
The warning , the EFCC said, became necessary against the background of the increasing tendency by persons and groups under investigation by the Commission to take the laws into their hands by recruiting thugs to obstruct lawful operations of the EFCC.
On several occasions, the anti graft agency said, operatives of the Commission have had to exercise utmost restraint in the face of such provocation to avoid a breakdown of law and order.
Some unknown gunmen have kidnapped Joshua Rogers, the ChannelsTV reporter in Port-Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
Politics Nigeria learnt that Rogers was picked up close to his residence at Rumuosi in Port Harcourt and to an unknown destination by the gunmen around 9pm on Thursday, April 11.
The reporter was driving his official ChannelsTV branded car when the hoodlums accosted, pointed a gun at him and took him away in the same vehicle.
Rogers was said to be returning from his official assignment in Government House after a trip to Andoni for a government event when the incident happened.
Already, the gunmen were said to have contacted his wife and demanded a N30million ransom for bis release.
His cameraman confirmed the incident and appealed to his abductors to set him free unconditionally.
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