By Kolawole Ojebisi
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has dismissed reports making the rounds that an explosion is rocking the Port Harcourt Refining Company in Rivers State.
The company described the incident as a minor “flare event” that posed no threat.
This was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday by NNPC’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye.
Someye clarified that there was no explosion at the facility and that the situation had been brought under control.
“What occurred was a routine flare incident, which has since been fully contained. There is no risk to staff, surrounding communities, or the environment,” the statement read.
NNPC urged the public to disregard misinformation about an explosion at the refinery, emphasizing that operations remained unaffected.
The clarification from NNPC is coming almost 24 hours after President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State following the persistent political impasse in the state which has defied solutions over the months.
Militants in the state have reportedly threatened to blow up oil facilities should any decision detrimental to the residents of the state be taken by the federal government.
