The Chairman of Eleme Local Government Area, Chief Obarilomate Ollor, has called on the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency on gas pipeline infrastructure across the area following Thursday’s explosion at Aleto.
The council’s media unit in a statement said, Ollor made the call on Friday during an on-the-spot assessment of the affected section of Old Bori Road, Aleto, alongside the King of Eleme Kingdom, HRM Emere Dr. Philip Osaro Obele, JP, Oneh-Eh Eleme XI.
The chairman identified the pipeline as belonging to the Nigerian Gas Company (NGC), a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.), and expressed concern over its condition, noting that another gas leak had occurred along the same route weeks earlier.
He said the affected road had been barricaded and remained impassable pending a comprehensive safety assessment.
Ollor disclosed that some residents were taken to hospital following the explosion, while others reportedly experienced panic attacks and the worsening of existing health conditions.
He urged the Federal Government to direct the NGC to immediately assess the damage, determine the cause of the explosion, provide medical care for victims, distribute relief materials and conduct a comprehensive review of its pipeline network.
The chairman also called for the replacement of ageing pipeline infrastructure where necessary to prevent further incidents.
He expressed relief that no vehicles were on the road at the time of the explosion, noting that the incident could have resulted in greater casualties.
Speaking during the assessment, the King of Eleme, HRM Emere Dr. Philip Osaro Obele, lamented what he described as years of environmental degradation and neglect despite the area’s strategic importance to Nigeria’s economy.
According to the monarch, Eleme hosts major industrial facilities, including two refineries, two fertiliser companies, a petrochemical plant, Onne Deep Sea and Light Terminals, Shell flow stations and the largest NNPC housing estate in the eastern region.
“Eleme is the heart and hub of Nigeria’s economy. We have two refineries, two fertilizer companies, a petrochemical plant, Onne Deep Sea and Light Terminals, Shell flow stations, and the largest NNPC Housing Estate in the East. Pipelines criss-cross our land to serve the nation. We are the golden bird that lays the golden eggs, but after taking our resources, they kill us with pollution and explosions,” Obele said.
The monarch also raised concerns over acid rain, damaged roofing sheets, unsafe drinking water, declining soil fertility and reported health problems, calling for urgent government intervention.
He supported Ollor’s call for a state of emergency, stressing that the intervention should cover the entire Eleme Local Government Area rather than Aleto alone.
Obele urged the Federal Government and the NGC to take immediate measures to address recurring gas leaks and protect lives and property in the area.
The Eleme council chairman reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to safeguarding residents and called on relevant authorities to act urgently to prevent a recurrence of such incidents.
