Decomposing human remains are still trapped in the surrounding swamps at the site where a pipeline explosion killed over 50 persons two weeks ago.
The stench from the decomposing dead bodies of residents and those of other animals has made it impossible for regulators to access the site and conduct a proper investigation into the explosion which occured on the 22nd June 2019.
Locals blamed bribe-seeking police officers from Afam Police Station for sparking the fire that led to the explosion.
The South-South Zonal Director of the National Oil Spill Detection Agency, NOSDRA, Cyrus Nkangwung said over 16,000 litres of petrol spilt over an expanse of 21,000 hectares of land.
Nkangwung advised relevant government bodies to urgently decontaminate the site of the explosion in order to minimise the stench of the unevacuated dead bodies.
He said that the area is highly polluted because of decomposing dead bodies, adding that once the area is decontaminated, the agency will move in and carry out a proper restoration of the environment and also access what led to the pipeline leak.
