Pipeline explosion: Ikpeazu directs commissioner to set up probe panel

• Police Boss Visits Site, Puts Death Toll At 24
Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu and the Abia State Police Command Commissioner, Mr. Anthony Ogbizi, yesterday visited Friday’s petroleum pipeline accident site at Umuaduru and Umuimo in Osisioma Ngwa Local Council of the state.

The governor immediately, directed the state Petroleum Resources Commissioner, Mr. Chizurum Kanu to constitute a Commission of Inquiry to unravel the remote and immediate causes of the incident.

He described the incident as “unfortunate and disheartening,” while commiserating with the families and relations of the victims.

Kanu, who visited the site separately, disclosed that 24 people died in the inferno.

He said that going by the information gathered from the NNPC depot in Aba, leakage of fuel from the pipeline that was undergoing maintenance, caused the accident.

“When we visited the two communities, we were informed that 14 people died at Umuimo village and 10 at Umuaduru community,” he said, adding that the police and other security agencies in the state were already investigating what he tagged “the plausible cause of the explosion.”