At least 20 people have reportedly been injured after a gas pipeline explosion rocked Aleto community in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State on Thursday evening, damaging several houses, vehicles and business premises.
The explosion reportedly occurred around 5 p.m. along Old Bori Road, involving a ruptured pipeline said to belong to the Nigeria Gas Company.
Properties affected included residential buildings, roadside stalls, a mechanic workshop and several vehicles. Injured residents were reportedly taken to hospitals for medical attention.
An eyewitness alleged that the pipeline had been leaking for about three weeks before the explosion, raising concerns over whether sufficient action was taken to prevent the incident.
The Leader of the Eleme Legislative Council, Daniel Chuma, said he had written to the company and petitioned relevant authorities over the reported leak.
According to Chuma, the council had contacted the Nigeria Gas Company and submitted a petition to the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) and the Rivers State Ministry of Environment, with the police also copied.
He said the council had requested a joint investigation into the situation but questioned what action was taken before the explosion occurred.
Chuma added that community members contacted him after the incident, reporting damage to properties and injuries among residents.
He also claimed that no representative of the company had visited the scene as of the time he spoke. Residents had reportedly cordoned off the affected area and were advised to keep away for their safety.
Meanwhile, the Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria) called for urgent government intervention and an investigation into the incident.
The organisation’s Executive Director, Fyneface Fyneface, confirmed that buildings had been affected and some residents hospitalised.
YEAC-Nigeria said it had not independently verified reports of any deaths and that the exact cause of the explosion remained unconfirmed.
The organisation urged NOSDRA to identify the operator responsible for the affected pipeline and conduct a Joint Investigation Visit to establish the circumstances surrounding the explosion.
It also called for the relevant provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021 to be applied where appropriate.
The incident has renewed concerns about pipeline safety, emergency response and the protection of communities living near oil and gas infrastructure in the Niger Delta.
Further investigations are expected to establish the cause of the explosion, the extent of the damage and whether any safety warnings were ignored before the incident.
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