Several people have been hospitalised following an explosion in Aleto, Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The incident affected about 50 nearby buildings to the oil pipeline, roof of buildings damaged, several vehicles either burnt, completely or partially damaged, with some residents reportedly hospitalised following the impact.
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) was said to be at the scene monitoring the situation and participating in rescue efforts.
Although the cause of the explosion is yet to be independently verified, preliminary reports have linked it to a pipeline rupture allegedly caused by equipment failure and age at a facility said to belong to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
The Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria), an organisation that monitors environmental issues, confirmed the explosion in Aleto, Eleme LGA.
Its Executive Director, Dr. Fyneface Dumnamene, said volunteers from the organisation had visited the scene to independently verify the incident.
YEAC-Nigeria called on the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) to identify the operator of the affected facility and conduct a Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) to the site.
The organisation also urged the agency to invoke relevant provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, where applicable.
A resident of the area, who identified himself as Stanley, said the pipeline had been leaking for about three weeks before the explosion.
“The pipeline has caused injuries and damaged properties. This pipeline has been leaking for about three weeks before the explosion today,” he said.
He added that community leaders had notified the company about the leak, but no proper measures were taken to address it.
He said most of those affected were passers-by and people doing business in the area.
Confirming the incident, the Leader of the Eleme Legislative Council, Daniel Chuma, who visited the scene, said he had written to the company about the leak and petitioned relevant authorities, but no concrete action was taken to stop it.
Chuma said, “There was a leakage on another section of the Nigeria Gas Company. We wrote to them and submitted a petition to NOSDRA and the Rivers State Ministry of Environment, copying the police for urgent intervention.
“We asked for a joint investigation. We don’t know what they did before they left. Today, we were called to an explosion at the same Nigeria Gas Company pipeline that has destroyed over 50 houses and cars, with many casualties. People have been rushed to the hospital.”
He said no representative of the company had visited the scene, adding that community members had taken steps to secure the area and prevent further casualties.
“What we have done is to cordon off the incident scene with barrier tape and ask our community people to stay away.
(Additional reports from The Guardian)
