News
Explosion: Community Wants Firm Punished …NNPC, Aiteo React
The community leadership in Nembe, Bayelsa State, yesterday urged the oil and gas industry regulators to wield the big stick against Aiteo Exploration Ltd over alleged poor handling of an explosion within OML 29.
Our correspondent reports that an explosion occurred last Friday along the 97 kilometre Nembe Creek Trunk line, discharging unascertained volume of crude and gas into the environment.
Although Aiteo officials confirmed the incident on Saturday, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) insisted that there was no record of explosion in Nembe.
Spokesman of Nembe Chiefs Council ,Chief Nengi James-Eriworio, said that the NNPC was misled because Aiteo did not report the incident to Joint Venture partners as required by law.
James-Eriworio said that Nembe communities were shocked at the statement from NNPC and urged the corporation to sanction Aiteo for concealing the incident.
He said that the failure to report the incident had caused the entire oil industry an avoidable embarrassment.
“Nembe Chiefs Council calls on NNPC to sanction Aiteo Company for concealing a high level of leakage and a gas explosion at their facility at Nembe Creek.
“It is an offence by law for an Oil Producing Company not to report such incident to NOSDRA and other relevant agencies for verification and necessary action.
“As a Community (Kingdom), we will not take it kindly for exposing our indigenes to environmental and health danger.
“We will not hesitate to call for the revocation of Aiteolicence.
“What happened at Nembe Creek near Well Seven is unacceptable and seen as a gross abuse of environmental rules and regulations.
“We urge the National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) and others to visit the site of the incident for confirmation and for the record,” James-Eriworio said.
Aiteo officials said that the resulting fire from the explosion which burned till Saturday, had been put out and no loss of life was recorded.
The incident on NCTL, with a capacity of conveying 150,000 barrels of crude daily to the Bonny oil export terminal, will adversely affect crude export, having been put out of use.
The Public Relations Manager of Aiteo, MrNdiana-Abasi Mathew, had confirmed the incident to the newsmen on Saturday.
“There is no official statement at the moment but I can gladly inform you that the fire has been contained and no lives were lost,” Mathew said.
Our correspondent reports that the oil export line was shut for emergency repairs, following a leak when the incident occurred and discharged residual crude and gas trapped in the pipeline.
Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) in 2015, divested its equity in OML 29 and transferred its interest in NCTL for $1.7 billion to Aiteo, an indigenous Oil and Gas Exploration and Production firm.
Community sources at Nembe have bemoaned negative impact of the explosion, saying that the incident led to both gas leakage and oil spill compelling them to flee.
An official of NOSDRA, Mr Francis Ume, said that that the agency was yet to be notified of the incident by the operator of the oilfield where the incident occurred.
Ume, who heads the Bayelsa Office of NOSDRA, said that plans had reached advanced stage to visit the site for assessment.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) says it has no record of pipeline explosion in Nembe, Bayelsa, as being reported in some quarters.
Mr Ndu Ughamadu, the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of the corporation disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Abuja, on Saturday.
No fewer than 50 people were reported to be missing after a leaking oil pipeline exploded and caused stampede in Nembe Kingdom in Bayelsa, according to the spokesperson of the community’s council of chiefs, MrNengi James-Eriworii.
He said the blast which happened in the early hours last Friday caused massive oil spillage in the community.
“ It is not our pipeline, it is Aiteo that was mentioned, which ordinarily they are supposed to be on joint venture with NNPC.
“I have cross-checked with our downstream unit that manages our pipeline and they said that they didn’t have such records,” he said.
But, Aiteo Exploration Ltd, operator of the 97 kilometres Nembe Creek Trunk Line (NCTL), confirmed that there was an explosion at the creek which burned till Saturday.
Public Relations Manager of Aiteo, Mr Ndiana-Abasi Mathew, confirmed the incident to newsmen in a phone message on Saturday.
“There is no official statement at the moment but I can gladly inform you that the fire has been contained and no lives were lost,” Mathew said.
Spokesperson of the Nembe Chiefs Council, Chief Nengi James–Eriworio, also confirming the incident, said the explosion caused massive destruction of the area with air and water heavily polluted.
“People have deserted the area and the company has refused to respond in spite of series of emergency calls to report the incident to them
“As at early morning of Saturday, the fire is still raging. And with gas and crude leak flowing freely, you can then imagine the fate of our people.
“The poor response of Aiteo to this incident is not acceptable and questionable. The people are traumatised and their health put at risk,” James-Eriworio said.
According to him, oil leak from the line has covered the surface of the nearby river, making it unsafe for navigation and artisanal fishing vocation of the people.
James-Eriworio also appealed to the Federal Government and oil industry regulatory agencies to intervene and investigate and respond to salvage the people.
“We are concerned that Aiteo, despite the clandestine acquisition of the asset from SPDC without due consultation with the people, has continued to undermine the economic rights of the people.
“We are worried about the poor response and attitude of the company towards the host communities in Nembe.
“They have abused the rights of the people. We are ready to drag the company before the National Assembly and the Presidency,” James-Eriworio said.
Soyinka stressed that accountability and civic courage remain essential to rebuilding public confidence in the nation’s institutions.
He made the call during the 28th Wole Soyinka Lecture held in Port Harcourt, last Friday as part of activities marking his 92nd birthday.
The lecture, themed “Reclaiming the Nigerian State through Accountability, Justice and Civic Courage,” drew participants from different sectors of society.
The renowned playwright and human rights advocate said the country’s greatest tragedy was not only the unlawful killings carried out by state and non-state actors, but also the silence that often follows such incidents, allowing perpetrators to evade justice.
According to him, indifference by citizens to abuses of power and violations of fundamental human rights has contributed to the persistence of extrajudicial killings and other forms of injustice across the country.
Soyinka said he dedicated this year’s lecture to victims of unlawful killings, noting that the event was intended to honour individuals who had lost their lives as a result of failures within the justice system and society’s inability to protect the sanctity of human life.
He stressed that the lecture was dedicated to what he described as the basic unit of every society – the human being, and urged Nigerians to place greater value on human dignity irrespective of ethnicity, religion or social status.
The Nobel Laureate recalled several incidents of violence, including the fatal shooting and killing of a young man in Ugheli in Delta State by a police officer, and the mob killing of Deborah Yakubu in Sokoto State sometime ago, lamenting that many of those responsible are yet to face justice.
He expressed concern that some perpetrators of violent crimes had openly admitted their actions without fear of prosecution, describing such situations as evidence of serious failures within the nation’s justice system.
Soyinka maintained that when justice is delayed or denied, public confidence in state institutions continues to erode, thereby encouraging further violations of human rights.
Responding to critics who accuse him of promoting religious or ethnic divisions whenever he spoke on such issues, Soyinka dismissed the allegations and pointed out that his advocacy has always centred on the protection of human life and the rule of law.
He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and continue demanding justice in cases of alleged extrajudicial killings, including the recent shooting of a young man by a police officer, stressing that every life deserves equal protection under the law.
The literary icon also recalled an earlier pledge by a past incoming president to make public the files relating to unresolved assassinations and extrajudicial killings, questioning the status of the promised investigations.
He challenged citizens to continue asking questions about unresolved cases, insisting that justice, accountability and respect for human dignity are indispensable to building a peaceful, democratic and inclusive Nigerian society.
Earlier yesterday, FAAN had announced that a fire incident had occurred at Terminal 2 of the nation’s busiest airport, and assured that its Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Service had been deployed to contain the situation.
There were also reports that activities were briefly disrupted at the airport yesterday after smoke was seen inside parts of the terminal.
Videos circulating online showed passengers kept standing outside the terminal while firefighters responded to the incident.
However, in an update issued less than two hours later by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, and posted on FAAN’s official X handle, the authority said preliminary findings showed that the smoke seen at the terminal was caused by the discharge of the facility’s FM-200 fire suppression system.
“Further to our earlier advisory regarding the incident at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) wishes to provide the following update,” the statement read.
“Preliminary findings indicate that there was no fire at the terminal. The smoke observed within the affected area resulted from the discharge of the terminal’s FM-200 fire suppression system. The reason for the activation of the fire suppression system is currently being investigated,” FAAN stated.
The authority said normal operations had resumed at the terminal while investigations were ongoing to determine the cause of the incident.
“Normal operations have since resumed at the terminal, while detailed investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the incident,” the statement added.
The authority thanked passengers, airlines, airport users and other stakeholders for their understanding and cooperation.
FAAN appreciated the understanding and cooperation of passengers, airlines, airport users and all stakeholders, and reiterated its commitment to the safety and security of all airport operations.
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