The traditional ruler of Eleme, King Philip Obele, has accused the Nigerian Gas Company Limited (NGC) of failing to act on an early warning from residents before a gas pipeline ruptured in Aleto, Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State, on Thursday.
King Obele, the Oneh-Eh Eleme, made the allegation when he visited the scene of the incident on Friday, claiming that residents had reported an unusual noise coming from the pipeline to the company before the explosion.
According to him, the company failed to take adequate measures to avert the incident, allegedly erecting a barricade before leaving the area.
“Instead of arresting the situation, they just put a barricade and left. Now, see the result,” the monarch lamented.
The NGC had yet to issue an official statement or respond to the allegation as of the time of filing this report.
The monarch called on the government to intervene urgently to prevent a recurrence, while demanding greater attention to the welfare of communities hosting critical national economic assets.
He lamented what he described as the persistent neglect of Eleme communities despite their contribution to the nation’s economy, citing inadequate development, unemployment and environmental pollution.
“Let them consider communities that are the engine house economically to the Federal Government. We are being neglected. It’s very bad. No development, no employment, nothing.
“We are the geese that lay the golden eggs. After laying the eggs, they kill us. Pollution is all over. It has caused blindness and cancer all over the area,” he said.
Expressing frustration over the situation, King Obele questioned the benefits accruing to the host communities and voiced concern about the response to protests against their perceived marginalisation.
“What are we really benefiting? We are not happy. If we do anything now, they will deploy the Army to come and kill us. Let the world see this thing, if it is good,” the monarch added.
The pipeline ruptured on Thursday, spewing mud and stones over a wide area and reportedly damaging several houses. Several residents were also said to have sustained injuries while fleeing the scene amid fears associated with the gas leak.
The forceful discharge reportedly rose more than 100 metres into the air and spread across an area exceeding 200 metres. By Friday, however, the discharge had subsided.
It could not be independently confirmed whether NGC officials had visited the site following the incident.
The explosion has renewed concerns about pipeline safety in Aleto, where residents have reportedly experienced repeated gas leaks. Just weeks earlier, another leak occurred on the same pipeline, about 400 metres from Thursday’s incident. That leak reportedly took several days to contain.
The latest incident has heightened concerns about the safety of residents living close to critical gas infrastructure and the need for prompt action whenever faults are reported.
The NGC’s response to the monarch’s allegations and the circumstances surrounding the pipeline rupture were still being awaited as of the time of filing this report.
