Leaky pipeline raises tension in Abia community

The leakage was detected in Umuaduru village in Osisoma Local Goverment Area with premium motor spirit said to be currently gushing out. The Public Relations Officer of Osisioma Ngwa Youth Congress, Nwabueze Princewill, said the group had contacted the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation on the development, and they were awaiting response from them. The group lamented that the number of people who died in the NNPC pipeline explosion was up to 60 and threatened to drag NNPC to court to seek justice for the families of the victims. Princewill in a statement said, “The entire Osisioma Ngwa Community was rudely awoken in the early hours of today, Friday 12th October, at about 1am by a fire accident/pipeline explosion that simultaneously happened at Umuimo and Umuaduru villages. “As of the time of making this report, over 60 persons have been confirmed dead, while about 100 other victims are receiving treatments with only very slim chances of survival, as the injuries are too severe. Properties with value ranging in millions were lost. “The outbreak is as a result of the leakages on the pipeline. The lines have been faulty for some years back and several calls have been made by the communities and local government authority to the NNPC for due maintenance and repairs but they heeded none.” The statement added, “Still aware of the unrepaired damages, the NNPC pumped products through the line which has been out of use and failed to take appropriate measures to keep the public safe. “While we cannot absolve some of the victims of their own errors or dismiss the possible fact that many of them went to scoop the gushing products, we emphatically state that there was no case of vandalism on the pipeline. “The number of casualties at the Umuimo scene is comparatively low for the reason that the men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps was on ground to keep people away from the location, but failed to replicate same actions at the Umuaduru site where the number of casualties is outrageous.” Princewill blamed the NNPC, sayinging “The incident is the sole fault of the NNPC. While we mourn this loss with a heavy heart, we will take legal measures to make sure we get justice on behalf of the deceased.”]]>