A gas leakage has been reported along the Bayelsa Palm-New Otuoke Road near Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.
Residents told journalists who visited the scene of the incident that there was an explosion late Monday night that may have resulted in the leakage of the gas pipeline.
The Nigerian Agip Oil Company and the Shell Development Company of Nigeria Limited operate pipelines in the area.
Mr. Alagoa Morris of the Environmental Rights Action and Friends of the Earth, ERA/FoEN, told journalists that this was the second time such an incident occurred in recent times.
Mr. Morris said that there were indications that the incident was caused by a detonated explosive indicating a possibility of sabotage.
“It is not strange for people like us who are always on the field. Issues such as this happen now and then, especially the spilling of oil and gas. It has been a recurring incident in the state and Niger Delta.
“Concerning this current incident, there are signs that it was man-made because some equipment was connected to the point of the incident. It means there must have been a detonated explosive. This also speaks volumes in terms of the security of the pipeline. Morris said.
He stated that the gas leak could threaten the human and environmental health of the community.
He further said that NOSDRA had already visited the site and hoped that other relevant agencies, such as the Ministry of Environment, would also visit and cordon off the area.
The Nigeria Agip Oil Company said in a statement that the pipeline was blown up by vandals a few days after repairs. The company stated that it is actively trying to depressurize the pipeline in an attempt to fix it.
Oil and gas leak is common in Niger delta communities. Government environmental watchdog, the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), and oil companies often blame most of the oil and gas spills in the region on criminal gangs who vandalize oil facilities. Oil theft from vandalism feeds illegal small refineries in the region, but activists say that both regulators and oil companies often shift the blame for oil and gas spills to criminal gangs.
