From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja

 

President Muhammadu Buhari has described as catastrophe and a national disaster, the that explosion rocked an illegal crude oil refinery in Abaezi forest, Ohaji-Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State.

He has therefore, directed the nation’s armed forces, security and intelligence agencies to intensify the clampdown on illegal refineries following the reported deaths of tens of people in the disaster.

According to a statement by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, Buhari while reacting incident, said responsibility for the loss of lives and property must squarely lie with the sponsors of the illegal refinery, “who must all be caught and made to face justice.”

In conveying “the condolences and the full depth and range of the nation’s shock and trauma” to the families of the victims, the Ohaji Egbema community and the government and people of Imo State, the President urged community leaders, the police, and the secret service to never allow the occurrence of the heart-breaking incident in any part of the country again.