By Oluwaseun Sonde
Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari has given matching order for intensive clampdown on illegal refineries in the country over the explosion that rocked Imo community recently.
The explosion which reportedly killed tens of people on Friday night after an illegal refinery exploded at Abaezi forest in the Ohaji-Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State
Reacting to the unfortunate incident, the President described it as a “catastrophe and a national disaster,” adding that responsibility for the loss of lives and property must squarely lie with the sponsors of the illegal refinery, “who must all be caught and made to face justice.”
In conveying “the condolences and the full depth and range of the nation’s shock and trauma” to the families of the victims, the Ohaji Egbema community and the government and people of Imo State.
The President urged community leaders, the police, and the secret service to never allow the occurrence of the heart-breaking incident in any part of the country again.
Meanwhile, reports gathered that more than 100 people were burnt to death beyond recognition from the suspected illegal refinery site explosion in Abaezi Community , Ohaji -Egbema Local Government Area, Imo State..
Added that victims of this fire inferno were operators of an illegal refinery, both distributors and the producers on ground were caught up by the fire and burnt beyond recognition.
Eye witness account recorded that their remains littered everywhere in the forest, while several vehicles waiting to patronize illegal petroleum products were not spared as they were also razed completely.
The site is known to be one of the largest illegal refining sites in the Ohaji-Egbema and has being operating seamlessly until the unfortunate incident.
The ugly incident which took place in the midnight revealed that the buyers were already inside their vechicles waiting to load the products when the explosion occured and the fire rapidly killed most of them.
Also, reports has it that the ravaging fire consumed those that tried climbing trees thinking that they will be saved as there burnt bodies were seen hanging on the tress.
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