There were indications on Tuesday evening that militants operating in
the Niger Delta may have again blown up a gas pipeline belonging to the
Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) at Ogbembiri in Southern Ijaw local
government area, Bayelsa State.
It would be more than a dozen
times that the oil and gas facilities belonging to the Italian Oil giant
would be breached this year alone.
The fresh attack by gunmen, it
was learnt, occurred on the pipeline about 48 hours ago, which raised
questions within the community as to why security agencies saddled with
the responsibility of protecting oil installations had been unable to
stop the frequent breaches.
Suspected ex-militants also recently
attacked a pipeline carrying crude, located at Brass Local Government
Area (LGA) of Bayelsa State, spilling the substance into the
environment.
During the latest attack, the gunmen reportedly
stormed the community at about 9:00pm, traced the pipeline and ruptured
it at a point it was previously repaired after the last attack.
While some sources said dynamites were used to blow the pipeline,
others said the gunmen deployed other mechanical devices to rupture the
line along the axis.
The pipeline said to be a major gas supply
facility in the country, reportedly crosses Tumor community in Bomadi,
Delta State; Ogbuasiri in Ekeremor and Ogbembiri in Southern Ijaw,
Bayelsa State.
“Agip awarded the contract for security
surveillance and repairs of the pipeline in case of a breach to a
contractor from the community.
“So, the contractor enjoys dual
contract of protecting the pipeline and also repairing it whenever there
is a leakage. But it is baffling how the pipeline increasingly comes
under attack’’, a source said.
He added that the facility, “ is a
major pipeline because it supplies gas for domestic consumption’’,
noting that ‘’Agip has spent a lot of money fixing it.”
While the
pipeline is said to be relatively safe in other communities, it has
continued to be incessantly attacked at the Southern Ijaw community, the
source noted.
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