The King of Eleme in Rivers State, Emere Dr Philip Osaro Obele, has given the Nigerian Gas Company (NGC) 24 hours to address damage caused by a gas pipeline explosion in Aleto community, threatening mass protests if the company fails to act.
The explosion occurred at about 5 p.m. on Thursday, October 15, damaging houses and vehicles and reportedly injuring residents.
An eyewitness said the loud sound of the explosion sent people fleeing for safety, with some sustaining injuries in the process.
“I was sitting in my shop when I heard a loud sound, and then I scampered for my life. In the process of scampering, I injured myself,” the eyewitness said.
A visit to the scene on Friday showed damaged buildings and vehicles, while some residents had begun repairing affected roofs. Although the pipeline was no longer visibly emitting gas, the incident raised concerns about residents’ safety and the condition of the infrastructure.
The Eleme Local Government Chairman, Obarilomate Ollor, who visited the scene alongside the traditional ruler, urged the Federal Government to direct NGC to investigate the explosion and assess the pipeline’s condition.
Ollor identified the pipeline as belonging to NGC, a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, and said another gas leak had occurred along the same route a few weeks earlier.
He suspected that the pipeline might have deteriorated, although he acknowledged that this had yet to be established through a technical assessment.
“From our suspicion now, although not proven through any proper analysis, we know that the pipes in this area are suffering expiration. The pipes here must have been expired,” he said.
The chairman called for a comprehensive assessment of the pipeline network, including the possible replacement of ageing infrastructure, rather than repairs limited to the ruptured section.
He added that some residents were taken to hospital after the explosion, while others reportedly experienced panic attacks and the worsening of existing health conditions.
Ollor urged the Federal Government to declare an emergency in the area to prevent further incidents and protect residents.
“It’s our appeal that they should come immediately, do the assessment, and declare an emergency on this particular area. There should be an emergency on this area,” he said.
The Eleme monarch also lamented what he described as years of environmental degradation and neglect in a community hosting major oil, gas and industrial facilities.
Obele questioned the benefits accruing to Eleme despite the presence of refineries, fertiliser and petrochemical plants, oil and gas installations and other critical economic infrastructure.
“We serve as the golden bed that lays the golden eggs. But after taking the egg from us, they kill us too, with what we are seeing here,” the monarch said.
He alleged that residents faced pollution, health challenges, inadequate potable water, poor roads and limited employment opportunities despite the area’s economic importance.
The traditional ruler further raised concerns about the condition of pipelines running through the community, alleging that warnings about unusual sounds from the affected facility had previously been reported.
He called for the replacement of ageing pipelines and warned that NGC had 24 hours to address the damage and assist affected residents or face protests.
“I’m appealing to them to come and clear this mess they have done to us now. If not, we give them 24 hours. If not, the whole world will hear us. We will all come to the road and protest against the Federal Government of Nigeria,” he said.
The cause of the explosion and the full extent of the damage are yet to be established through an official technical investigation.
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