Breaking: Another Gas Explosion Hits Soku Oil Facility in Rivers State Amid Rising Attacks
By, SpringNewsNG Media Limited
March 24, 2025
Barely a week after a major explosionhttp://explosion occurred on the Trans-Niger pipeline in Bodo, Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State, another explosion has been reportehttp://Soku oil facility in Akuku Toru LGA.d at the Soku oil facility in Akuku Toru LGA.
The Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria), a grassroots non-governmental organization with a strong presence in Niger Delta communities, confirmed the incident. According to the group’s Executive Director, Dr. Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, the organization received reports from its youth volunteers in the early hours of yesterday.
“An explosion accompanied by fireballs was heard and seen in the sky from the facility area, which is hard to reach. The fire is still ongoing at the time of this report,” the statement read.
The cause of the explosion remains unclear, with possibilities ranging from equipment failure to sabotage or militant attacks. This marks the third major incident targeting oil facilities in Rivers State within a week.
The first explosion occurred in Ogoni, followed by another at the Oga/Egbema/Ndoni LGA, both of which were referenced by President Bola Tinubu in his March 18 nationwide broadcast, during which he declared a six-month state of emergency in Rivers State.
YEAC-Nigeria has called for a thorough investigation into the latest Soku explosion, urging the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) to conduct a joint inspection to determine the cause.
“Perpetrators of this crime must be held accountable in line with the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021,” the organization stated.
The rising frequency of attacks on oil installations has raised concerns about renewed militant activities in the Niger Delta, reminiscent of past insurgencies that crippled the region’s oil production. Security agencies have yet to issue an official statement, but industry stakeholders fear that continued unrest could further destabilize Nigeria’s energy sector.
