The Imo State Police Command, on Wednesday, officially verified the fatalities of five vandals resulting from an explosion that shook the Obitti community in the Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area of the state.
The command’s spokesperson, ASP Henry Okoye, confirmed the incident to the press, indicating that the explosion occurred on Tuesday. He mentioned that the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Aboki Danjuma, has already established a team to investigate the immediate cause of the incident and apprehend the perpetrators who are on the run.
“Yes, the incident happened yesterday (Tuesday).
“Five vandals were burnt beyond recognition, and we are currently investigating it in collaboration with our sister security agencies to unravel the identities of those behind the economic sabotage.
“They went for their normal pipeline vandalism when the incident occurred.
“Our goal is to make sure that similar vandalism does not occur in the future,” the police spokesman said.
Recall that in April 2022, at least 100 people lost their lives in a similar explosion that occurred at an illegal oil refining site in the Ohaji/Egbema area of the state.
On May 4, the same year, two persons also died when a bomb exploded at an oil facility, Addax Petroleum Development Nigeria Ltd., located in Izombe, Oguta Local Government Area of Imo.
The incident was a suspected bomb attack on the oil facility.
