Ijegun Pipeline Explosion: Senator Adeola Tasks NEMA, NNPC, Others

MICHAEL AKINOLA

A day after the Senate passed a resolution on the pipeline explosion in Rivers State that claimed at least 15 lives, Senator Solomon Adeola(APC, Lagos West) has called on National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA and NNPC to urgently move into the Ijegun community in Lagos to assist residents of the area following a pipeline explosion which reportedly left two people dead and over 30 vehicles burnt.

“It is quite unfortunate that this kind of explosion is now a recurring decimal in my Senatorial District with regrettable loss of lives and millions in private properties without any compensation for victims. The last time was about a year ago in Alagbado area with massive loss of property. As a temporary measure, I call on NEMA to send relief materials to residents of the area now displaced and suffering from the trauma of early hours of the day explosion and conflagration “ he said.

The Senator wants the NNPC, Petroleum Products Marketing Company, PPMC and owners of private tank farms for petroleum products in his Senatorial District to work out modern methods and modalities for securing and monitoring of their facilities particularly several kilometres of pipelines which are exposed to vandalisation by thieves, adding that most of the explosions are caused by activities of vandals.

“In the interim, NNPC should reconsider the use of local security/vigilantes and communities to monitor and secure pipelines from sabotage by vandals. Early detection of vandalised pipelines and its repairs would go a long way in prevention of explosion and unnecessary loss of lives and properties in densely populated areas where these facilities are located” Senator Adeola stated.