Ijegun Explosion: Amosun Supports Yayi As Senate Proffers Solution

MICHAEL AKINOLA

The Senate has directed Nigeria National Petroleum Company, NNPC and Pipeline and Product Marketing Company, PPMC, to review their security architecture for pipelines as well as consider the engagement of local communities and vigilantes in the architecture to protect pipelines from vandalisation.

In its resolution following a motion by Senator Solomon Adeola (APC, Lagos West) on “Ijegun Fire Explosion: Urgent Need to Prevent Pipeline Vandalisation and Explosion Resulting in Deaths and Massive Destruction of Properties”, the Senate equally urged the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, and Federal Ministry of Health to urgently assist families in distress and those in hospital following the Ijegun Pipeline Explosion that killed 12 persons with massive destruction of properties among them two secondary schools.

Presenting the motion, Senator Adeola stated that the immediate cause of the explosion was the activities of the oil thieves’ vandalisation of pipelines for siphoning of petroleum products adding the explosion followed similar occurrences in the Senatorial District that serves as host to these oil installations.

Supporting the motion, Senator Ibikunle Amosun (APC, Ogun Central) stated that the ugly trend of pipeline vandalisation and explosions which affect Ogun State and elsewhere need to be tackled with all seriousness as well as advance technological know-how stressing that the issue of security needs to be address comprehensively as most of the vandals are often armed with sophisticated arms and equipment for their nefarious activities.

Other senators that supported the motion co-sponsored by 50 Senators included Senator Robert Borroffice, the Senate Deputy Majority Leader, Senator Oluremi Tinubu (APC, Lagos Central), Senator Adebayo Osinowo (APC, Lagos East) Senator Ibn Bala Na”Allah (APC, Kebbi South) and Senator Abdul Kwari (APC,Kaduna North) among others.

The Senate observed one minute silence in honour of those that died in the explosion.