At least 20 people have been injured and about 50 houses destroyed following a gas pipeline explosion in Aleto community, Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State.
According to PUNCH, the explosion reportedly occurred around 5 p.m. on Thursday after a pipeline belonging to the Nigeria Gas Company ruptured along Old Bori Road in the community.
Several victims were rushed to hospitals for treatment, while nearby stalls, a mechanic workshop and vehicles parked in the area were also reportedly damaged.
A resident, who identified himself as Stanley, alleged that the pipeline had been leaking for about three weeks before the explosion occurred.
He said the prolonged leakage had posed a danger to residents and business owners, adding that community leaders had notified the company but no adequate measures were taken to address the situation.
According to him, most of those affected were passers-by and people conducting business around the area.
The Leader of the Eleme Legislative Council, Daniel Chuma, who visited the scene, also alleged that previous complaints about the pipeline leakage had not received the necessary attention.
Chuma said he had written to the company and petitioned relevant authorities, including the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) and the Rivers State Ministry of Environment, seeking urgent intervention.
He explained that the authorities, including the police, had been copied in the petition, while a joint investigation was requested to establish the cause of the leakage and prevent a possible disaster.
“We asked for a joint investigation. We don’t know what they did before they left. Today, we were called to an explosion at the same Nigeria Gas Company pipeline that has destroyed over 50 houses and cars, with many casualties. People have been rushed to the hospital,” he said.
Chuma expressed concern that no representative of the company had visited the scene following the explosion.
He added that community members had cordoned off the affected area with barrier tape and warned residents to stay away to prevent further casualties.
He said people who gathered at the scene were advised to move to safer locations as the community took steps to contain the situation.
Meanwhile, the Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria) has confirmed the incident, stating that several victims had been hospitalised.
