Rivers Pipeline Explosion Injures at Least 20

At least 20 people have reportedly been injured in a gas pipeline explosion in Aleto community, Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State, with several houses and properties damaged.

The explosion occurred around 5pm on Thursday along Old Bori Road and was reportedly linked to a ruptured pipeline said to belong to the Nigeria Gas Company.

Several victims were rushed to hospitals for treatment, while stalls, a mechanic workshop and vehicles parked inside the workshop were among the properties affected.

An eyewitness told media that the pipeline had been leaking for about three weeks before the explosion.

The witness alleged that community leaders had raised concerns about the leak but that adequate measures were not taken to prevent the incident.

According to the eyewitness, many of those affected were passers-by and people conducting business in the area.

Eleme council alleges prior warning

The Leader of the Eleme Legislative Council, Daniel Chuma, who visited the scene, said he had earlier written to the company about the reported leak and petitioned relevant authorities for urgent intervention.

Chuma said the council had also petitioned the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) and the Rivers State Ministry of Environment, with the police copied, requesting a joint investigation.

“There was a leakage in another section of the Nigeria Gas Company. We wrote to them, and we did a petition to NOSDRA and the Rivers State Ministry of Environment and copied the police for urgent intervention,” he said.

“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 pipeline of the Nigeria Gas Company that has destroyed houses, cars, and caused many casualties. People have been rushed to the hospital.”

The council leader also expressed concern that no representative of the company had visited the scene as of the time he spoke.

He said community members had cordoned off the affected area with caution tape and advised residents to keep away to prevent further danger.

Environmental group calls for investigation

Meanwhile, the Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria) has called on the Rivers State and Nigerian Governments, alongside relevant environmental agencies, to intervene urgently.

The organisation’s Executive Director, Fyneface Fyneface, said in a statement that nearby buildings had been affected and some residents had been hospitalised.

YEAC-Nigeria said it had not independently confirmed any fatalities and that the cause of the explosion remained unverified.

The group urged NOSDRA to identify the operator of the facility and conduct a Joint Investigation Visit to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.

It also called for relevant provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021 to be applied where appropriate.

The reported injuries and property damage, alongside allegations that the pipeline had been leaking for weeks, have intensified calls for a thorough investigation and urgent measures to protect residents of Aleto.