No fewer than 10 persons have reportedly lost their lives in a boat capsize when a fight ensued between security agents and residents over an oil spill.
The oil happened at Oil Mining Lease (OML) 55 in Kula, Akuku Tory Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Community members had wanted further oil activities stopped to enable mending areas affected by the oil drilling activities.
This move was reportedly resisted by an influential person in the community who was behind the oil drilling activities.
This was what attracted some military personnel to the spot but their attempt to mediate was resisted, leading to a fight.
The situation was confirmed by Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe, who however called on the police to undertake proper investigation of the whole episode.
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“The confrontation occurred amid attempts by residents to resist the alleged forceful re-entry to the site during which a community boat capsized while trying to resist them”, he said.
Other accounts quoted the the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) chieftain as saying that all the persons feared dead were males while other details surrounding the incident remained unclear.
Sources said that rescue operations are already on ground douse tension in the area and evacuate the casualties to Port Harcourt.
it needs be noted that illegal oil tapping, refining, and pipeline damage significantly are among the casuative factors of oil spills.
