The Baale of Ijeododo Community in
Lagos State, Alhaji Tajudeen Subair-Ododo, on Friday urged the Federal
Government to beef up security around its pipelines in the community.
Subair-Ododo made the appeal in an
interview in Lagos, against the backdrop of a pipeline explosion that
occurred in the community on Thursday night.
Another pipeline explosion occurred
around 9.45 p.m. on Thursday, while the Nigerian National Petroleum Community
(NNPC) confirmed that the product lines had been switched off, to reduce fire
pressure.
According to him, the only way to
curb incessant pipeline vandalism around the community is when government beefs
up security to monitor the pipeline network on a 24-hour, round-the-clock,
basis.
The traditional ruler said that
oftentimes, vandals used the opportunity of the absence of any security
presence to perpetuate illegality in the area.
He said that the explosion was
caused by the activities of pipeline vandals, who have continuously vandalised
the pipelines in the community.
However, the spokesman of the
National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mr Ibrahim Farinloye,
confirmed that the explosion was caused by vandals.
He said that the vandals broke into
the pipeline to scoop some products around 9:00 p.m. on Thursday.
Farinloye said that no causality was
recorded, adding that the agency would be visiting the scene on Friday to
ascertain the level of damage from the explosion.
He said that the suspected vandals
encroached into the NNPC’s Right Of Way (ROW) and Safety Unit, but that fire
fighters were trying to stop the inferno.
Meanwhile supply of products has
been shut down.
“NNPC authorities have switched off
the valves to stop further supply to the system and to suffocate the fire, to
enable fire fighters battle the fire.
NNPC had recorded over 775 breakage
points on the pipeline since August 2012.
Records from the NNPC showed that
between Atlas Cove and the Mosimi Depot, a total of 182 breakage points had
been recorded.
A total of 421 rupture points have
been recorded between the Mosimi depot and the Ibadan depot, while the Mosimi
to Ore stretch has recorded 50 vandalised points.
Also, the Ibadan/Ilorin stretch of
the pipeline has recorded a total of 122 breakage points. (NAN)
Explosion: Ijeododo traditional ruler tasks FG on pipeline protection
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Friday, November 07, 2014
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