More theories have surfaced over the gas fire explosion that took the lives of several people at the Chikason Gas Plant in Nnewi, Anambra State on the eve of Christmas.

An elder of Nnewi town, who spoke on the condition of anonymity claimed that the foremost Nnewi industrialist had been warned that a high caliber disaster will visit his factory as a result of his factory’s encroachment on a certain river, known as ‘Mmili Ele’, an abode of a river goddess being worshiped by the residents.

“If you have been there, you will see that he has a very expansive space of land there, but maybe because he needed to expand his company and add more factories, he decided to widen it.

“He was even warned of the consequences of doing so by the chief priest of Mmili Ele, but he did not take the young man seriously. So, I think the river goddess only fought for itself”, he claimed.

He further alleged that a renowned man of God had also prophesied that a huge disaster was about to befall the company, adding that he even went ahead to prescribe a week’s fasting.

According to the source, even a former Governor had experienced the power of Mmili Ele when he tried to construct a bridge and road over the river.

“He tried his best, but the road always went bad even before the construction ended, and when he was advised on what to do, he did it and since then, the road and bridge across Mmili Ele has remained in good shape.“During that period, a sacrifice was performed by some white men who were constructing the road; a very huge crocodile was also caught and taken away by the white men; since then, there has been no problem on the road”, he said.

Meanwhile, the Anambra State Commissioner for Health, Dr Joe Akabuike, who visited the victims of the fire disaster at National Orthopedic hospital in Enugu has said that Gov. Willie Obiano sent him to reassure the hospitals that Anambra government would pay every kobo spent on treatment of the victims.

“Gov. Willie Obiano is deeply concerned and had also sent me to give him up-to-date information on the condition of the victims sent to the two federal referral hospitals in Enugu. And thank God all the victims are doing well and worthy of note is the pregnant victim, who is now conscious and she is responding very well to treatment,’’ Akabuike said