The Cross River State Police Command has confirmed that 12 people died in a petrol tanker explosion in Ogoja Local Government Area of Cross River State.
The State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Eitokpah Sunday, disclosed this in a telephone conversation with our correspondent.
According to him: “Following the unfortunate incident, the Divisional Traffic Officer (DTO), Ogoja, and patrol teams were promptly mobilised to the scene to secure the area and manage traffic.
“The scene was cordoned off to prevent further casualties, while efforts were made in collaboration with relevant stakeholders to rescue trapped victims and evacuate the injured to General Hospital, Ogoja, for medical attention.
“Following the outbreak of fire during transloading operations, additional reinforcements were deployed to contain the situation, ensure public safety, and prevent escalation. The affected area was further secured and access restricted.
“Twelve corpses were evacuated and released to appropriate authorities and families, including the Hausa Muslim community, for burial in line with Islamic rites,” he said.
He added that investigation into the incident was ongoing to ascertain both the remote and immediate causes, particularly the circumstances surrounding the transloading process that led to the explosion.
Meanwhile, sources said about 38 persons suffered various degrees of injuries in the explosion, which occurred on Wednesday.
The ill-fated tanker was said to have fallen into a nearby river during transloading operations, thus igniting an inferno that engulfed dozens of residents at the scene.
Unconfirmed reports indicate that a soldier and a policeman also suffered injuries during the incident.
