Scores killed in Ogun pipeline explosions

Scores of suspected oil pipeline vandals and others were killed yesterday in Arepo, an Ogun State community bordering Lagos, while trying to steal petrol from an oil pipeline facility at the area. Witnesses told our correspondent that the vandals, while trying to force open the pipeline facility, caused a spark that led to explosions about 1:30am.

Witnesses put the casualty figure at between 32 and 100. When New Telegraph visited the scene of the incident yesterday, it was learnt that rescue workers had not been allowed to the site by vandals who cordoned off the area to prevent access by security agents. One of witnesses said: “As early as 1:30am, we heard a very loud explosion like an earthquake with heavy flash of light from the river.

The vandals have, as usual, scooped fuel from the pipeline installation, filled them in many jerry cans and packed them in their speedboats. Trouble started when they were starting the engine of the speedboat, which refused to start. They persisted and the engine sparked off a light, which ignited a fire because of the thousands of petrol-filled jerry cans.

“Meanwhile, they were also dragging some on the water with ropes, those jerry cans spilled on the water surface, causing the fire to spread along the water until it reached the pipeline installation, leading to the explosions.” The witness said the vandals were shouting for help as they tried to flee.

“Many of them were burnt beyond recognition and they have been bringing their bodies with boats and taking them to unknown places. We’ve seen over 50 boats with dead bodies,” the source stated. The incident has forced the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to shut down production on System 2B.

The shutdown of System 2B, which supplies petroleum products from Atlas Cove to depots in Mosimi, Ejigbo, Ibadan, Ore and Ilorin, may lead to fuel shortage in the areas. Spokesperson for the Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC), Mr. Nasir Imodagbe, confirmed that the pipeline was shut down after the explosion. He said the action was taken to mitigate the loss of more lives and property. A resident of Arepo, Tunde Sanni, said the number of casualty was more than 32. The vandals, he said, were more than 30 and they were all killed in the explosion.

“By the time the raging fire is extinguished, we may discover more casualties,” he said.

The fire was still raging as at the time of filling in this report, while the identities of other suspected victims were yet to be ascertained. The Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Muyiwa Adejobi, neither responded to telephone calls nor a text message sent to him. Spokesperson for the NNPC, Mr. Ohi Alegbe also did not respond to calls placed to him.

But Imodagbe blamed the vandals for the incident. “Vandals broke into our line at Arepo this morning and in the process of scooping our product, the line caught fire.

We have swiftly shut production to mitigate the effect of this fire,” he said by telephone in an interview with New Telegraph. Asked about the casualty figure, Imodagbe said: “That terrain is a difficult terrain, the fire is still raging, so it will be difficult for anybody to know the casualty figure. “In actual fact, it is not our duty to give casualty figure. But I can tell you that we have shut production on that line and we shall resume the production once the fire is extinguished and the damaged section of the line is fixed.”