The Imo State Police Command on Wednesday confirmed the deaths of five vandals in an explosion that rocked the Obitti community in Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area of the state.
The command’s spokesman, ASP Henry Okoye, who confirmed the incident to newsmen, said the explosion occurred on Tuesday.
He said the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Aboki Danjuma, had already constituted a team to unravel the immediate cause of the incident and arrest the fleeing culprits.
“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.
OsunDailyNG recalls that in April 2022, at least 100 people lost their lives in a similar explosion that occurred at an illegal oil refining site in Ohaji/Egbema area of the state.
On May 4, 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.
