EVEKWU COMMUNITY GAS PIPELINE EXPLOSION VICTIMS BURIED IN THE EVIL FOREST

By Davies Iheamnachor

THREE victims of last week’s gas explosion at Evekwu community, Odegu clan, Emohua Local Government Area, EMOLGA, Rivers State, have been buried in the Evil Forest by their kinsmen, while nine persons have been hospitalized.

The clan was thrown into confusion, last Tuesday, following a gas pipeline explosion, which villagers alleged was caused by equipment failure at a gas pipeline, operated by the Nigerian Agip Oil Company in Evekwu community in EMOLGA. 

Residents said that the victims, who breathe in the gas, were choked to death, but the Caretaker Committee Chairman of EMOLGA, Mrs. Gloria Omereji, had claimed that no life was lost in the incident. Why we bury people in evil forest: A notable leader in the area, Rev. Chris Idika, told NDV: “We have lost three people and according to our traditional demands, anyone that dies in the bush under controversial circumstances, we neither bury him at home nor keep the body to avert further deaths.”

Some of the victims of the explosion. His words: “Anybody that is in doubt can come and see their graves, very close at the evil forest. There is also another dead body we just discovered on Thursday evening in the bush and we have deposited it in the morgue.” He said: “If you go to Evekwu now, you see people now with respiratory problems and eye defects. Over nine people are in the hospital. 

The company should come and identify with the community for the hazard we are suffering because of this explosion.” “This installation is owned by the Federal Government, so they should come to our rescue, our people are dying. Our water is polluted, the air is polluted. If these two basic things are polluted, it means that the people’s lives are at risk,” he added. How the explosion happened: Narrating how the disaster occurred, Idika asserted: “On the 22 of February, around 2:30 pm, we heard an explosion around, we have not experienced that before because the thing almost translated into earthquake for the reason that everywhere was shaking. 

The whole community was thrown into confusion.” “Much later, we heard cries from the farm and we heard that gas pipeline exploded at the farm side. We have two pipelines here, one is owned by Agip while the other is owned by NLNG. Three days after the incident, the two companies have not come.” 

Alleged neglect: Idika who said the companies were aware of the incident, but had chosen to neglect the community, noted: “They are aware because while the gas was emitting, there was a shut down which after about five hours, the gas started going down till it stopped. If they were not aware, they would not have shut it down. 

It is neglect on the community.” Damage: He bemoaned: “The incident has caused a huge economic damage to the people. The gas destroyed everything here. We are estimating that about 1000 kilometres of land of this vicinity are gone, because the vibration was such that the compartments of the soil became so open and there were transition of gas molecules and particle, which means the land cannot be useful again. As we are here, you can still perceive the smell of the gas.” 

Relative Relative to one of the victims, Mr. Karma Wanosike, said: “When the incident occurred, my brother, Peter Wanosike, a 31- year- old young man was outside, so he ran into the house. Our house is not very far from the scene of the incident. 

When the gas reduced, we went inside, and saw him lying on the ground; we immediately rushed him to the hospital.” Prescribed drugs He disclosed: “At the hospital, the doctor prescribed drugs and we bought, each cost us N3000, but this morning (Friday), we lost him. The gas incident gave him the shock that led to his death. If you go to our building, you will see that our house has a big crack now.” 

No MoU, EIA – Landlord: The landlord to the companies, Mr. Romanus Amadi, expressed worry that the firms took their farm land without any formal agreement, stating that this was the right time to correct the community’s mistakes. “What happened now is strange. The incident affected the entire Odegu kingdom. 

It destroyed land and crops. We are waiting for them to come and negotiate with us on the damage they have caused. We are waiting that they will come and enter into MoU with us and conduct Environmental Impact Assessment, EIA, with us in respect of this thing,” he said. Nkovadu carpets LG boss: 

Meanwhile, the Community Development Committee, CDC, chairman of Rumuji community, Mr. Godspower Nkovadu, lashed out at the caretaker chairman, Omereji, saying, “She does not know what she is saying. “The caretaker chairman of Emohua LGA has not even visited here after the incident, how did she find out that no life was lost? She does not know anything about our plight. She does not know what is happening, she is saying what she does not know,” he fumed.

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