Over three persons have been feared dead and several others missing following a fire incident at Oru-Amaboko community in the Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State.
It was gathered that the fire which broke out in the early hours of Sunday morning had destroyed property and goods worth millions of naira.
Sources said the fire started after security men set fire to a boat suspected to contain illegally refined petroleum products.
However, the spokesman for the Nigerian Navy Ship Pathfinder in Rivers State, Lt. Cdr. Rasheed Iginla said the command is investigating the claims by the community.
According to him, “We are aware of the situation and investigation is ongoing. We will let the public know our findings and position.”
Recounting their losses, some affected residents said they lost everything to the fire and called on the Rivers State Government to come to their aid with relief materials.
Speaking to newsmen, the Amadabo of the Oru-Amaboko community, Alaibiye West, called for urgent government intervention in restoring the community.
He said government assistance is needed to rebuild what is damaged and relief packages to the people concerned.
“A lodge was burnt and we do not know the number of victims. We are only assessing the number to be 10. It may even be more than 10 because there are people who are lodging here every day. Some people were burnt, but for now, we only learned that only three have been buried.”
