Fire, explosion rock oil jetty in Niger Delta

Lagos, Nigeria – A huge explosion triggered by a dawn fire Wednesday ro cked a jetty operated by the state-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) at Okrika in South-eastern Rivers state, partially destroying the facility and some vessels that were being loaded with crude oil , and leaving several people injured, the police said.

Rivers state Police Commissioner Felix Ogbaudu told journalists the cause of the fire had not been ascertained.


”We have sent in men of the joint military task force to secure the area and ensure safety of lives of property while investigations into the cause of the f ire is already on,” said the police boss.

Eyewitnesses said the combined efforts of the Rivers state fire service and th e NNPC firemen prevented the fire from spreading into Okrika town.

Panapress