Shut down hazardous gas pipelines, HOMEF tells FG after Rivers explosion

The Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) has called on the federal government to immediately shut down hazardous gas pipelines in Aleto, Rivers State, and decommission those found unsafe, following an explosion that damaged homes, shops, and injured residents.

The environmental organisation also demanded an independent investigation into the 15 October explosion in Aleto, Eleme Local Government Area, and compensation for victims whose properties and livelihoods were affected.

In a statement following a visit to the scene on 16 October, HOMEF said residents had reported a suspected gas leak along the same pipeline corridor before the explosion, raising questions about the response of the pipeline operator, the Nigeria Gas Infrastructure Company Limited, a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC)

The incident has renewed concerns about the safety of petroleum infrastructure in Eleme, an industrial hub hosting refineries, gas pipelines and petrochemical facilities, where residents face the risks associated with oil and gas movement and processing.

Woke Ebie, the youth president of Aleto and secretary of the Eleme Youth Council Worldwide, told HOMEF that the community reported a suspected leak to NGIC before the explosion.

He said the company’s representatives visited the location and erected a barricade but the explosion occurred the following day.

“A suspected leak happened about two weeks before this explosion; we reported it to the Nigerian Gas Infrastructure Company, a subsidiary of NNPC. The company representatives visited the location and erected a barricade, but the explosion occurred the following day,” Mr Ebie said.

The account raises questions about what the company discovered during its visit, whether the suspected leak was properly addressed and whether the pipeline was considered safe to continue operating.

HOMEF said the incident demanded more than repairs to the visibly damaged section, insisting that the pipeline’s installation date, maintenance history and structural integrity should be established before operations resume.

The organisation urged the federal government to direct NGIC, NNPC and relevant regulatory agencies to investigate the incident, publish their findings and identify any technical failures or lapses in the response to the reported leak.

It also called for a comprehensive integrity assessment of the affected pipeline corridor and the decommissioning or removal of infrastructure found unsafe for continued use.

Calls for more pipeline assessment

The Chairman of Eleme Local Government Area, Obarilomate Ollor, also called for a comprehensive assessment of the pipeline network, citing concerns about its age and repeated incidents along the route.

“The pipeline could be at least 50 years old. A 50-year-old pipeline is beyond decrepit and should have been replaced or decommissioned long ago. We are concerned about its condition and about another gas leak that occurred along the same route weeks earlier,” Mr Ollor said.

He asked the federal government to direct the relevant gas infrastructure operator to establish the cause of the explosion, assess the damage, assist victims and provide relief materials.

He also called for a review of the pipeline network, including the replacement of ageing infrastructure where necessary.

HOMEF said repeated repairs to potentially unsafe pipelines were inadequate if the underlying structural problems remained unresolved. It called on regulators to investigate possible operational failures and impose appropriate sanctions where negligence or breaches of applicable obligations were established.

The organisation further demanded medical assistance and fair compensation for residents whose homes, businesses and livelihoods were affected.

Residents count losses

The explosion also disrupted livelihoods in the community, with traders reporting losses as they fled the affected area.

Fasilatula Waakikeloma, who said she was inside her shop when the explosion occurred, appealed for government’s assistance.

Another victim, Esther Bright, said she lost goods in her shop and a point-of-sale bag containing about ₦100,000 while fleeing the explosion.

“We are struggling here, financially, and even just to breathe. This explosion is already destroying livelihoods and pushing our households into financial distress,” she said.

The Paramount Ruler of Aleto and King of Eleme, Philip Obele, said the community’s strategic contribution to Nigeria’s economy had not translated into adequate protection from industrial hazards.

HOMEF said the explosion reflected the risks faced by communities situated along extractive infrastructure corridors, arguing that the responsibility for preventing industrial disasters rests with operators and the institutions mandated to regulate them.

It called for community participation in pipeline safety assessments, monitoring and decisions affecting residents, warning against treating host communities as expendable routes for transporting oil and gas.

The organisation said the federal government and relevant agencies should ensure that affected residents receive assistance and that unsafe infrastructure is not returned to service before its safety has been established.

PREMIUM TIMES’ earlier reported that residents demand probe of the explosion asked for compensation and an investigation into allegations that warnings about a suspected leak were ignored