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, on Thursday evening.
The explosion reportedly occurred around 5 p.m. after a pipeline belonging to the Nigeria Gas Company ruptured along Old Bori Road in Aleto.
Several victims were rushed to hospitals for treatment, while nearby stalls and a mechanic workshop where cars were parked were also reportedly affected.
A resident, who identified himself as Stanley, said the pipeline had been leaking for about three weeks before the explosion.
“The pipeline has caused injuries and damaged properties. This pipeline has been leaking for about three weeks before the explosion today,” he said.
Stanley alleged that community leaders had notified the company about the leak but that no adequate measures were taken to address the problem.
He added that most of those affected were passers-by and people conducting business in the area.
Confirming the incident, the Leader of the Eleme Legislative Council, Daniel Chuma, who visited the scene, said he had written to the company about the leak and petitioned relevant authorities, but no concrete action was taken to prevent the incident.
Chuma said the community had reported an earlier leak involving another section of the Nigeria Gas Company pipeline and sought the intervention of relevant agencies.
“There was a leakage on another section of the Nigeria Gas Company. We wrote to them and submitted a petition to NOSDRA and the Rivers State Ministry of Environment, copying the police for urgent intervention.
“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.
He alleged that no representative of the company had visited the scene following the explosion.
Chuma said community members had taken steps to secure the area and prevent further casualties.
“What we have done is to cordon off the incident scene with barrier tape and ask our community people to stay away.
“Before now, everyone scampered for safety. The few who came were asked to stay far away to avoid any further incident,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria) confirmed the incident, saying several people had been hospitalised.
The organisation’s Executive Director, Dr Fyneface Dumnamene, called on relevant authorities to intervene and provide assistance to affected residents.
“We are using this medium to call on the relevant authorities, the Rivers State Government, the Ministry of Environment, NOSDRA, the Federal Government and all the bodies involved in checking oil spills and gas explosions to come to the aid of Aleto people. This is a serious incident,” he said.
Dumnamene said the fire was still burning at the time of his statement and had spread to surrounding buildings.
