By Desmond Ejibas
Iriebe – The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Exhibit Yard in Iriebe, Oyibo Local Government in Rivers, was gutted by fire that destroyed properties worth millions of naira.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the facility had several impounded tanker trucks and trailers arrested by NSCDC operatives for various offences, including illegal bunkering of crude oil.
The facility located few meters away from the Iriebe stretch of the Port Harcourt-Aba Express Road shared close proximity with a filling station and Lafarge warehouse.
The raging inferno caused a huge ball of smoke that billowed from the facility, sending residents in panic as businesses closed in the area.
Federal firefighters were seen on the ground to put out the fire but their efforts were affected due to the back and forth it took to refill their trucks with water.
NSCDC operatives and the Police barricaded some sections of the road to reduce exposure, resulting in both human and vehicular traffic within the area.
The NSCDC Zonal Commandant, Zone L, Mr James Bassey, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the scene that investigation had been launched to ascertain the cause of the inferno.
“The exhibit yard jointly owned by NSCDC and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had several exhibits, such as tanker trucks, trailers and vehicles impounded from suspected illegal oil refiners.
“Concerted efforts are currently being made to extinguish the inferno and prevent it from spreading and destroying properties of citizens within the neighbourhood.
“We have launched an investigation but we can only ascertain the cause of the fire after thorough investigation, so we cannot speculate at this time,” he said.
Bassey commended the Federal Fire Service and fire unit from Shell Petroleum Development Company for responding to NSCDC’s distress call to extinguish the fire.
He said that five male daredevil suspects were caught by operatives inside the burning facility while attempting to drive out one of the trailers held at the yard.
Also speaking, the NSCDC Commandant in Rivers, Abu Tambuwal, said a manhunt would be declared for any arsonist linked to the inferno.
According to him, the NSCDC was fully committed to rid the state of illegal crude oil refiners and vandals despite the unfortunate fire incident at the facility.
“We suspect that this incident may be an act of sabotage by evil minded persons who want to get back at NSCDC at all cost.
“But we will not be deterred in our dogged and resolute fight against vandalism of oil and gas pipelines as well as other illegal dealings of petroleum products,” he assured.
Tambuwal called for stronger synergy and intelligence sharing with security agencies to enhance the security architecture of the state. (NAN)
