It was a black Tuesday at Omerelu commumity along the Elele-Owerri Road in the Ikwere Local Government Area of Rivers State, as residents ran for their dear lives, when a tanker allegedly conveying adulterated petroleum products, collided with another petroleum tanker which was stopped by members of the task force at a checkpoint.
The inferno that resulted from the explosion reportedly spread in the community, destroying houses, valuable properties, leaving some persons severely injured and two dead.
Eyewitnesses said the incident happened when one of the tankers conveying the inflammable products was flagged down by a petroleum taskforce operating in the area but while the taskforce was trying to “extort” the tanker driver, another tanker driver on speed lost control of his truck and hit the stationary one at the checkpoint.
Africa Update gathered that the two tankers fell, spilled their contents and burst into flames. Angry youths from the community had gone on rampage, destroying other checkpoints in the community.
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