BY Samuel Oyadongha
Yenagoa—The Ijaw Youths Council, IYC, yesterday, dismissed the claim by Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, that its armed militias were responsible for the explosion that rocked the Port Harcourt Refinery in River State.
IYC noted that its investigation revealed that the weekend explosion in the refinery, which led to the death of eight persons, was due to activities of oil thieves and pipeline vandals in the area.
Spokesman of IYC, Mr. Eric Omare, told newsmen in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, that contrary to MEND's claim, preliminary investigation conducted by a three-man committee set up by the IYC over the incident, discovered that the explosion was caused by an open boat engine used by the suspected oil thieves.
He said: "We set up a committee to ascertain the cause of the explosion and the outcome was that it was not MEND or any particular organisation that carried out the explosion. It happened as a result of the activities of oil thieves and pipeline vandals rampant in the Niger Delta.
"What actually happened was that they went into the place with an engine that was not covered. As you know, crude oil is highly inflammable and the result was an explosion. Contrary to MEND's claim that it caused the explosion, citing alleged displeasure with the amnesty programme, the explosion was caused by the oil thieves."