Residents panicked as NNPC pipeline exploded in Ilara community

There was panic on Sunday night at the Ebute-Ayo, Ilara area of Ogijo in Ogun State, after a pipeline explosion rocked the sleepy community.

Residents claimed that the explosion occurred after a vandalised pipeline burst into flame and spread across about 1.5km stretch of the pipeline. The residents said that the explosion started happened around 10pm and as at yesterday, was still burning.

Suspected vandals were alleged to have left the valve of the pipeline opened after stealing petroleum product.

It was gathered that the pipeline had been attacked several times by vandals and some of them had been arrested.  

The Commanding Officer, 174 Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Benedict Ezeh, who had been ground with his men since Sunday night, said they rushed to the scene after receiving distress calls from residents of the area about the explosion.

It was also gathered that the pipelines had been punctured several times by vandals in their desperate efforts to scoop fuel. Many of them had been arrested before this present explosion.  The vandals alleged target that point for scooping fuel because it’s covered by a thick vegetation, which shields them from prying eyes.

Residents said that it was Ezeh who called the area manager at Mosimi Depot to shut down that pipeline, in order to prevent the fire from spreading.

Chairman of the Community Development Association (CDA), Adewale Waheed, explained: “We were shocked when it happened. It was as if there was an earthquake. Everybody, some of whom were already asleep, jolted out of sleep. We all had to run for our lives. It was as if the fire was everywhere. The heat was intense. We called the fire service yesterday (Sunday) but they didn’t come. We thank God that men of the Nigerian Gas Company Limited and Pipeline Petroleum Marketing Company (PPMC) were here to put out the fire. The military had been on ground since yesterday. This is the third time we would be witnessing this kind of explosion. It happened twice in 2014.”

Waheed, however, added that he had no idea what caused the fire.

Another resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: “It was like an earthquake when the explosion occurred. My entire family had to run out of the house and headed to the opposite direction. It was as if the world was about to end.”

Mrs. Feyisayo Akimleye, also a resident, said: “I was at home with my husband, around 10pm, when we heard people shouting fire. People were running. I told my husband to carry his documents and we all ran. It was when we came out that we saw the raging fire. The foundation of our building shook when the explosion happened.”

Mrs. Adebayo Foyeke also narrated her experience, she said: “I don’t know what happened. My husband called me that there was fire. It was when I came outside that I saw the fire. We are now afraid to sleep for fear of an explosion. We have nowhere to go. Government should come to our aid; we don’t want this to happen again.”

Officers and men of the 174 Battalion of the Nigerian Army, Odogunyan, other security agents, fire disaster managers and other relevant agencies were on ground to ensure safety of lives and property.

Men of the Fire Service of the Nigerian Gas Company Limited eventually arrived about 12 noon and were joined few minutes later by those of the Pipeline Petroleum Marketing Company (PPMC) to put off the fire.

Others at the scene of are the Sagamu Police Command Area Commander, an Assistant Commissioner of Police, (ACP), Mr Ibraheem Sa’aad, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Ogijo Police Station, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), Mr Tijani Mohammed.