A section of the Port Harcourt Refinery in Rivers State was engulfed by flames on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in what has become another alarming incident in the oil-rich region.
The National President of the Petroleum Retailers Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PROOAN), Billy Gillis-Harry, confirmed the fire outbreak but assured that it was swiftly contained within five minutes, preventing a major disaster.
“Yes, there was a fire outbreak at the Port Harcourt refinery, but it was controlled in five minutes,” Gillis-Harry told journalists.
The fire comes just hours after two separate pipeline explosions rocked Manifold and Trans-Niger Pipeline in Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni and Bodo-Gokana Local Government Areas, raising serious concerns about safety and sabotage in the region.
These incidents also coincide with the State of Emergency declared in Rivers by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, citing growing insecurity and political turmoil in the state. While authorities have yet to confirm if the refinery fire and pipeline explosions are linked, the timing has sparked speculations about escalating tensions in the oil sector.
