No fewer than twenty persons lost their lives in the Sunday night pipeline explosion at Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni local government area of Rivers state with fifteen persons who sustained various degrees of fire burns and hospitalized responding to treatment.
The chairman of Ogba Egbema Nodoni local government area, Vincent Job, who confirmed the number of casualties to ait.live however accused security personnel manning the Oil facility of compromise and collusion with oil thieves.
The high powered pressure multiple trunk line belonging to the Nigeria Agip Oil company was where the twenty persons reportedly lost their lives while attempting to steal crude from the multiple pipelines conveying different products to NAOC facility at OB plant.
The Chairman, Ogba Egbema Nodoni local government area,Vincent Job, regretted the avoidable deaths of those involved while tampering with the high-pressure pipeline but accused security personnel protecting the facilities of colluding with the oil thieves.
Leading journalists to the explosion site, a local security outfit, the Onelga Security Peace and Advisory Committee (OSPAC), Cautioned youths to stop destroying oil facilities meant for economic advancement of the country.
As at the time of filing this report, the trunk line has been shutdown awaiting repairs from the relevant authorities.
Editor : Ena Agbanoma
