Port Harcourt, March 23, 2025 – Another explosion has struck the Soku oil facility in Akuku Toru Local Government Area of River State.
The Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria), a grassroots NGO with strong networks across the Niger Delta, confirmed the latest explosion on Sunday.
In a statement signed by its Executive Director, Dr Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, YEAC said it received reports from its youth volunteers about an early morning explosion at the Soku oil facility operated by Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Limited.
“An explosion accompanied by fireballs was heard and seen in the sky from the facility area, which is difficult to reach. The fire is still ongoing as of the time of this report,” the statement said.
The cause of the explosion is still uncertain, but there are speculations that it might have been caused by equipment failure, sabotage, deliberate attack.
This marks the third explosion at oil facilities in Rivers State in less than a week.
The first occurred in Ogoni, while the second was in Oga/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area
YEAC-Nigeria has called for an urgent investigation into the Soku explosion.
The group urged the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) to conduct a Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) to determine the cause.
“Perpetrators of this crime must be held accountable in line with the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), 2021,” it said.
