20 killed in vandalized Agip pipeline explosion
No fewer than 20 persons have reportedly been killed after a crude oil condensate pipeline operated by the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) exploded in Obrikom, near Omoku in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Reports say the incident occurred at a waterside in Obrikom community on the Obiafu I and II pipelines in ONELGA, a major oil and gas hub in Rivers State, as residents scooped products into containers from a tapping point on the hacked pipeline at the weekend.
Witnesses say many more people suffered varying degrees of burns and are receiving treatment in different hospitals in the area.
Confirming the development, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, has condemned the acts that led to the fire explosion on the Agip pipeline in Obrikom, Ogba Egbema Ndoni Local Government of Rivers State.
Rivers State Commandant of NSCDC, Basil Igwebueze, said the fire explosion would not have occurred if the Nigerian Agip Oil Company pipelines were not vandalized by desperate individuals.
Igwebueze further explained that the content being scooped was condensate, which according to him, was not the same as Premium Motor Spirit, contrary to reports in some quarters.
He said, “Information reaching us on the fire explosion suffices that some unscrupulous elements manoeuvre their way to the pipeline, vandalized it and start scooping fuel.
“As a matter of fact and without sounding immodest, the Commandant General of NSCDC, Dr Ahmed Abubakar Audi, in strong terms condemn all activities amounting to economic sabotage. We would continue to partner with sister security agencies most especially the already constituted joint security taskforce to combat the menace of illegal oil bunkering activities in Rivers State.
“We commiserate with families of the deceased and those who sustained various degrees of injuries. Notably, during the explosion about four farm plantations were destroyed, 12 persons lost their lives while others were badly injured; all these could have been avoided if our people in Rivers State understood that any act of vandalism or attack against oil pipelines would have a degrading effect on the community, the lives and property of people and the nation’s economy at large.”
