In a fire explosion at an illegal oil refinery in the Ibaa community of the state's Emohua Local Government Area, fifteen people have died, according to the Rivers State Police Command.

The Command revealed that it had received distressing information about the tragic fire explosion at the Ibaa community in a statement released by its public relations officer, Grace Iringe-Koko, who noted that "fifteen people, including a pregnant woman, lost their lives in this devastating incident."

SP Iringe-Koko reported that an additional twenty people were burnt to varying degrees.

She claimed that the explosion in a major oil company's pipeline, which had been illegally accessed by oil thieves in the Ibaa forest for the purpose of extracting crude oil, was what caused the deaths and injuries.

The police reported that the Rumuji Division patrol team quickly arrived on the scene, documented the incident "with photographs, and also facilitated a dignified evacuation of the deceased for proper burial by their grieving families.

According to the statement, victims who suffered burn injuries were transported right away to nearby medical facilities for treatment.

It added that the command has initiated a thorough investigation to ascertain the root cause of the pipeline vandalism with the intention of bringing the culprits to justice.

According to the statement, the Commissioner of Police, Nwonyi Emeka, is appealing to parents and guardians to “take responsibility for guiding their children and wards from activities that could disrupt the quest for peaceful and sustainable development throughout the state.”