Reps set to probe Rivers pipeline explosion

The House of Representative has resolved to investigate the incident of fire outbreak along the NNPC pipeline in Kom Kom and lzuoma communities of Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers.

This was sequel to a unanimous adoption of a motion of Matters of Urgent National Importance by Rep. Chisom Dike (PDP-Rivers) at the plenary on Tuesday.

The green chambers mandated an ad hoc committee to conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the explosion and it observed one-minute silence for the repose of souls lost to the inferno.

The house urged the NNPC and the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company (PPMC) to quickly ensure thorough repairs of the pipeline.

The legislators also urged the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and other relevant government agencies to quickly send relief materials to the affected individuals.

Earlier, Dike said that in the early hours of Saturday, June 22, 2019 at about 8:25 am, there was an incident of fire outbreak in Kom Kom and lzuoma Communities of Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers.

He said that the fire outbreak which occurred along the NNPC facility was as a result of pipeline explosion.

The lawmaker alleged that the explosion occurred due to the negligence of the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company [PPMC) and the NNPC.

He said that the PPMC and the NNPC were unable to carryout maintenance work on the leakage of the facility several days after the leakage was reported.

The Rep said that the PPMC and the NNPC also failed to ensure the deployment of the appropriate security personnel to guard the facility against the possibility of scooping petroleum products.

Dike said that the casualties in the event were majorly people who rushed to the scene of pipeline leakage to scoop petroleum products as well as innocent people working on their farms early that morning.

According to the parliamentarian, until now the number of lives lost are unconfirmed because majority of the casualties are burnt beyond recognition while many were fully and partially buried in the marshy area.

He said that it was confirmed that scores of persons were recorded dead in the unfortunate incident.

Dike said that farmlands, crops and other properties worth several millions of naira had been damaged as a result of oil spillage and wild fire accompanying the explosion.

In his ruling, the Speaker of the house, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila (APC-Lagos) mandated the committee to report back to the house within four weeks.

(Credit: Coretvnews)