About 25 persons are feared dead following an oil explosion that occurred in Obitti, an oil-bearing community in the Ohaji/Egbema local government area of Imo State.
Sources said the incident occurred on Tuesday at the Obitti Rubber Estate as a result of illegal bunkering, which has left the Obitti community in mourning.
Several bodies were seen in a video with vast farmlands valued at millions of Naira destroyed.
In the video clip, the yet to be identified person showed where oil vandals dug a deep hole in a nearby bush, fixed a long pipe to it from where they scooped crude oil, which was emptied into a hired standby tanker.
A village source who pleaded anonymity said during the bunkering activity, a rival group showed up to demand payment but in the process a fight ensued followed by heavy shooting.
It was gathered that the exchange of fire sparked off an explosion which resulted in an inferno and trapped several young men who died in the process, while the stationed tanker was billowing with smoke from the inferno.
The video showed the scene of the disaster with the wailing and lamentation of suspected relatives of the victims whose charred bodies littered the scene.
Meanwhile, following fears of Police interrogation, tens of the residents have abandoned the village and are currently on the run.
Efforts to get the reaction of the police spokesperson for Imo state command, Henry Okoye proved abortive as his number did not connect despite repeated trials.
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