At least five persons lost their lives in an explosion in a residential area in Omoku, headquarters of the Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government of Rivers State, on Saturday.

Fyneface Dumnamene, an environmentalist and executive director of the Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre, confirmed the incident in a statement on Saturday.

It was gathered that the blast was said to have occurred in one of the rooms in a residential area used for storing illegally refined petroleum products.

According to Dumnamene, the occupants of the residence where the explosion occurred usually buy illegally refined kerosene and other products, store them, and resell them to members of the public.

The statement partly reads, “The incident occurred in the late hours of Saturday, April 26, by about 11 am, killing five persons, four females and one male, burnt beyond recognition.”

The Rivers State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, also confirmed the incident and casualties.

She explained the cause of the explosion.

According to her, “What really caused the fire was that a resident brought a cooking stove to the place and was preparing noodles, which ignited the fire.

Recall that in March two explosions rocked Rivers State.

The first explosion was at the Trans-Niger Pipeline at Bodo, Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State. The second was at a pipeline manifold in the Omwawriwa community, Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.

Thereafter, President Bola Ahmed Tinubudeclared a state of emergency in Rivers, suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, and appointed retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas as administrator on March 18, 2025.

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NiMet, has forecast thunderstorms and haziness across Nigeria from Sunday to Tuesday.

NiMet’s weather outlook released on Saturday in Abuja, predicted moderate dust haze over Katsina, Sokoto, Zamfara, Borno, Kano, Yobe, and Jigawa States.

The agency anticipated isolated thunderstorms in parts of Adamawa and Taraba States throughout the forecast period.

According to the agency, in the North-central region, partly cloudy skies are expected in the morning with isolated thunderstorms in the afternoon/evening hours over parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Plateau, Kogi, Nasarawa, and Benue States.

The South, it said, is likely to experience morning thunderstorms in parts of Lagos, Cross River, Rivers, Bayelsa, and Akwa Ibom States, with thunderstorms expected later in the day in several southern states.

NiMet anticipates sunny skies across the northern region on Monday, with morning thunderstorms in parts of Taraba and Adamawa States.

It said thunderstorms are expected to extend to Kaduna, Bauchi, and Gombe States later in the day.

NiMet added that in the North Central region, morning thunderstorms are likely over Plateau, Nasarawa, and Benue States, with thunderstorms forecasted for the afternoon/evening in various parts of the region.

NiMet predicted morning thunderstorms in the southern states of Bayelsa, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, and Edo States, with thunderstorms expected later in the day over several southern states.

Then on Tuesday, NiMet envisaged sunny skies with patches of clouds in the north, with morning thunderstorms in parts of Adamawa and Taraba States.

It further stated that thunderstorms are expected later in the day over parts of Kaduna, Adamawa, and Taraba States.

The North Central region, it said, is expected to see partly cloudy skies in the morning, with thunderstorms in the afternoon/evening in parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Kogi, Kwara, Benue, and Niger States.

In the southern region, morning thunderstorms are likely in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, and Bayelsa States, with thunderstorms predicted later in the day in several states.

The agency urged the public to take adequate precautions as strong winds might precede the rains in areas with expected thunderstorms.

It also advised people in the North to be cautious, as dust particles could be suspended in the air.

NiMet also advised airline operators to obtain airport-specific weather reports from NiMet for effective flight planning.

At least 50 communities across 25 council wards in five local government areas (LGAs) in Benue State have been displaced by armed herdsmen.

Data released by the Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) reveals that the worst-hit area is Gwer West Local Government Area, where all 15 council wards have been affected at some point.

The affected wards in Gwer West include Sengev, Gbaange/Tongov, Saav, Mbapupuu/Tswarev, Mbabuande Kyaav, Mbapa, Tsambe/Mbesev, Sengev/Yengev, Merkyegh, Nyamshi, Tijime, Tyough Ater, and Njaha.

The report was released by SEMA just days before the latest attacks in Ukum, Logo, Otukpo and Gwer East LGAs.

According to the report, titled ‘Displaced Communities in Benue State Where Fulanis Have Settled with Their Cows’, the affected local governments include Guma, Gwer East, Gwer West, Kwande, and Makurdi.

In Guma LGA, several communities in six council wards – Mbadwem, Nyiev, Mbaba, Uvir, and Mbayer/Yandev – have been taken over by the marauding herders.

In Gwer East, Mbalom council ward has also experienced displacement, with residents fleeing to safer areas.

The report further shows that at least two communities in Mbalagh and one in Bar council wards in Makurdi, the state capital, have also fallen to the attackers.

Additionally, Moon and Anwase council wards in Kwande LGA have lost a few communities to the violent herders.

“There are many more, but these are the ones I can confirm for now,” said Terna Ager, the SEMA information officer.

The devastating impact of these attacks has been echoed by Iorbee Ihagh, a retired Comptroller of Prisons and leader of the three socio-cultural groups in Benue State.

Ihagh, who is from Moon ward in Kwande LGA, expressed that the entire community had been abandoned for years due to ongoing attacks. Public facilities like markets, healthcare centers, and schools have all been destroyed.

Ihagh, who also serves as the President of Mdzou U Tiv Worldwide, renewed calls for the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency in the state due to the escalating insecurity.

Many residents displaced from their homes are currently taking refuge in 13 official internally displaced persons (IDP) camps across the state, while others are staying with relatives.

Some IDPs have been living in these camps for over eight years, with little hope of returning to their ancestral lands.