The Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) has called for an independent investigation into the Oct. 15 gas pipeline explosion in Aleto, Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State, demanding accountability, compensation for victims and the removal of pipelines found unsafe for continued operation.
The explosion, involving a facility operated by Nigeria Gas Infrastructure Company Limited (NGIC), a subsidiary of NNPC Limited, damaged homes, shops and vehicles and injured residents, according to HOMEF.
The environmental organisation said its visit to the scene on Oct. 16 uncovered accounts that a suspected gas leak had been reported along the same pipeline corridor before the explosion.
Comrade Woke John Ebie, Aleto youth president and Secretary of the Eleme Youth Council Worldwide, told HOMEF that a suspected leak had been reported to NGIC before the incident.
He said company representatives visited the location and erected a barricade, but the explosion occurred the following day.
Eleme Local Government Chairman, Barr. Obarilomate Ollor, said the recurring pipeline incidents required a comprehensive assessment rather than repairs limited to visibly damaged sections.
“The pipeline could be at least 50 years old. A 50-year-old pipeline is beyond decrepit and should have been replaced or decommissioned long ago,” Ollor said.
He urged the Federal Government to investigate the explosion, provide assistance to victims and review the condition of the pipeline network, including replacing ageing infrastructure where necessary.
Residents also described the impact of the explosion on their livelihoods.
Fasilatula Waakikeloma, who said she was inside her shop when the explosion occurred, appealed for government intervention.
“The government should do something. This thing is terrible. I have never seen this kind of thing in my life,” she said.
Another victim, Esther Victor Bright, said she lost a point-of-sale bag containing approximately ₦100,000 while fleeing the explosion. She said the incident had worsened the financial difficulties facing her household.
The paramount ruler of Aleto and King of Eleme, King Dr. Philip Osaro Obele, said the community hosted major energy and industrial facilities but continued to face environmental and safety risks.
“We are the golden bird that lays the golden eggs, but after taking our resources, they kill us with pollution and explosions,” Obele said.
He also raised concerns about acid rain, damaged roofing sheets, unsafe drinking water, declining soil fertility and reported health problems. He called for a state of emergency covering the entire Eleme Local Government Area.
HOMEF said the pipeline’s installation date, maintenance history and structural integrity should be established, adding that pipelines found unsafe should be decommissioned or removed.
The organisation urged the Federal Government, NNPC Limited, NGIC and relevant regulatory agencies to investigate the explosion, publish their findings, establish the technical cause and determine whether failures in maintenance or emergency response contributed to the incident.
It also called for appropriate sanctions where negligence or regulatory breaches were established, alongside medical assistance and fair compensation for residents whose homes, businesses and livelihoods were affected.
HOMEF further demanded community participation in safety assessments and decisions concerning pipeline operations, arguing that residents should not be left to bear the risks of ageing industrial infrastructure.
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