Residents of Obianime-Ama Community in Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State are on edge following the discovery of a ruptured pipeline leaking an unidentified petroleum product in broad daylight.
The incident, which occurred on Sunday, has raised concerns about potential environmental hazards and safety risks in the area.
Channels Television gathered from sources that the affected pipeline belongs to the Pipeline and Products Marketing Company (PPMC), a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
Eyewitnesses reported that the leakage began around 2:30 pm near a location opposite the PPMC facility in Okrika LGA.
Despite efforts by community members to contain the spill, the situation remains unresolved, prompting residents to cordon off the area and restrict vehicular and motorcycle movement as a precautionary measure.
Pictures made available to Channels Television revealed the extent of the leakage, with residents expressing frustration over the lack of immediate response from the pipeline’s operators.
While some speculated that the rupture might have been caused by vandalism, others dismissed the possibility, citing the presence of security personnel guarding the facility nightly.
One resident, who chose to remain anonymous, stated, “It can’t be vandalism. People guard this place every night, so that kind of thing is impossible. The pipeline is old and needs to be replaced.”
Efforts to reach the Chairman of the Obianime-Ama Community Development Committee and the management of PPMC for comments were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.
Meanwhile, the Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria) issued a press release on Sunday, confirming the incident and calling for urgent action.
According to the statement signed by its Executive Director, Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, the leakage and subsequent explosion occurred on the PPMC pipeline right of way in Okrika.
The incident was reportedly linked to ongoing maintenance work by contractors following an earlier incident on Thursday, March 20, 2025.
YEAC-Nigeria’s youth volunteers, under the One Million Youth Volunteers Network of Human Rights Defenders and Promoters in the Niger Delta, documented the incident with video evidence showing flames erupting from the pipeline.
The inferno was eventually extinguished later the same day. The organization has called on relevant authorities, including the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), to conduct a Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) to determine the cause of the leakage and explosion.
YEAC-Nigeria also urged the government to hold accountable those responsible for the incident, invoking applicable sections of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), 2021.
Fyneface emphasized the need for a thorough investigation into the recurring oil spillages and explosions in the Niger Delta, particularly in Rivers State, to mitigate their adverse environmental and socio-economic impacts.
As the situation in Obianime-Ama remains tense, residents are calling for swift action to repair the pipeline and prevent further damage to their community and environment.
