President Muhammadu Buhari has vowed that the fleeing sponsors of the illegal refinery located in the Abaezi forest, Ohaji-Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State, which exploded on Friday night leading to the death of over 100 people, must be caught and made to face justice.
Buhari has, therefore, instructed security agencies, particularly the intelligence arm, to track and arrest them.
The President, who described the explosion at the illegal refinery and the resulting deaths as a national catastrophe, directed the armed forces, other security agencies, especially the secret service, to intensify the clampdown on illegal petroleum refining in the country.
A statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, on Sunday, quoted Buhari as saying that the responsibility for the loss of lives and property lies squarely on the sponsors of the illegal refinery, “who must all be caught and made to face justice.”
“President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the nation’s armed forces, security and intelligence agencies to intensify the clampdown on illegal refineries following the reported deaths of tens of people Friday night after an illegal refinery exploded at Abaezi forest in the Ohaji-Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State”, the statement said.
READ ALSO: Over 100 dead as Illegal refinery explodes in Imo
In conveying “the condolences and the full depth and range of the nation’s shock and trauma” to the families of the victims, the Ohaji Egbema community and the government and people of Imo State, the President urged community leaders, the police, and the secret service to never allow the occurrence of the heart-breaking incident in any part of the country again.
The Imo State Commissioner for Petroleum Resources, Goodluck Opiah, who is an indigene of Egbema, has at the scene of the explosion on Saturday disclosed that the state government had declared the owner of the illegal refinery, Okenze Onyenwoke, wanted.
He advised the suspect whom he said was on the run to turn himself in at the nearest police station.
The commissioner said, “This is a sad development. The Imo State Government has declared wanted, Okenze Onyenwoke, who owns this illegal refinery. I advise him to hand himself over to the police or any security agency.
“This is wickedness. This is economic sabotage. It is also destroying our youths. I, therefore, call on the youths to go away from this kind of illegal business. There are so many legitimate businesses one could do to make genuine money.”
