Nigeria’s Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, has issued a stern warning against unauthorised gas retail operations following a deadly explosion in Ibadan that left three people dead. The blast occurred on Friday night in Ona Ara Local Government Area when a tanker reportedly discharged gas into an illegal retail skid located in a densely populated neighbourhood.
The minister, who condoled with affected families, described the incident as avoidable and blamed unsafe practices, substandard equipment and operators’ failure to obtain proper licences. He stressed that while cooking gas is safe, negligence continues to fuel such tragedies.
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The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority has opened a full investigation. Ekpo said illegal operators must vacate the sector immediately, warning that unsafe sites will be shut and offenders prosecuted.
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