The serene coastal Tereke community in the Nembe Local Government Area was still reveling in the 15th anniversary of the creation of Bayelsa State, the only homogenous Ijaw speaking state in the Nigerian federation, when a loud explosion sent a wave of panic among the natives.
The loud bang which shattered the stillness of the night, accompanied by orange flame lighting up the skyline, threw the festive community into commotion, but thankfully no life was lost.
Vanguard Metro, VM, learnt that the community was locked in massive rush as the terrified natives fled their homes in droves, creating the impression of a settlement under siege.
While some thought that the community was under mortar attack from unknown enemies, others thought an earthquake may have hit their ancestral homeland and that the orange flame that lit up the skyline might have been triggered by the blast that shook the community.
But unknown to the fleeing natives, the explosion and the attendant fire outbreak that rocked the area that Sunday night occurred at the trunk line of the Obama flow station of the Nigerian Agip Oil Company in the mangrove swamp just behind their community.
It was a temporary moment of madness as the natives were forced to abort the carnival-like celebration of the state creation and fled to neighbouring communities.
“The community was locked in confusion when the explosion ripped through. We thought it was a bomb attack and people were running in different directions, away from where the sound came.
Although the immediate cause of the explosion at the facility could not be ascertained, but sources from the area said it was a day that would linger for long in the memory of the people.
Security forces, VM learnt, are working on the theory that the explosion might have been an act of sabotage. This suspicion is further heightened by the booming illegal refinery trade in the creeks where illegal refinery operators are known to have devised the technology of tapping into delivery line to siphon raw crude from which they turn out their killer fuel to the unsuspecting public.
It was gathered that most times, after having their fill, these unscrupulous elements abandoned the exposed pipelines to spill into the environment and could trigger explosion due to high pressure.
Also the security forces, sources said, are not ruling out the recent wave of threats by some aggrieved ex-militants to wage a campaign of sabotage against the nation oil industry in the creeks of the Niger Delta due to what they claim was the refusal of the Federal Government to integrate them into the amnesty programme after turning in their arms.
Bayelsa State had in recent times recorded relative lull in cases of pipeline sabotage in the Nembe creek in the wake of the Federal Government amnesty deal with the then rampaging self-styled freedom fighters agitating for environmental justice and restitution for the blighted Niger Delta region, the main-stay of the nation’s economy.
“Sadly it appears those within the security circle and the oil industry are always claiming sabotage when it is glaring that most of the pipelines scattered across the mangrove swamp are corroded and susceptible to explosion due to old age and non- maintenance,” lamented a concerned native who simply gave his name as Inikio.
“Although the damaged part had since been repaired and the huge inferno contained, but large volume of crude oil spilled into the environment and its impact would take years to overcome,” he further lamented.
The company, through its parent body, the Italian energy giant, Eni had in an email forwarded upon enquiry over the incident, confirmed that it had moved in some personnel to effect repairs on the damaged part of the flow station and planned no force majeure.
“Eni does not plan to introduce any force majeure on its oil export after the small incident at the pipeline, which is part of Obama-Brass line,” its spokesman said.
“It is a very small incident. No force majeure is expected. Works to repair the damage will be completed in the next few hours,” the spokesman had assured.
A troubled chairman of the Nembe local government council, Mr. Waribugo Sylva, who abandoned his official engagement to visit the area on getting the report of the incident, expressed concern over the environmental impact on the locals whose means of livelihood have been destroyed.
He said though the company had repaired the damaged part and oil is flowing again, the natives are suffering and are now relying on the council for survival as they can no longer engage in their traditional occupation of fishing.
“It is a pathetic situation, though the company had effected repairs on the damaged pipeline and oil is again flowing, but the people are suffering owing to the destabilization of the ecosystem. The people are undernourished and cannot fish again. It is the council (Nembe council) that is now sending them money for now to cater for their needs,” the council chairman said.
He said it was not enough for the company to only repair its damaged facility to ensure the flow of crude oil but also consider carrying out measures to remedy the impacted environment and also come to the aid of the suffering people.
Also speaking on the incident, the Field Coordinator of Environmental Rights Action, ERA, in Bayelsa State, Comrade Alagoa Morris, said though ERA was yet to visit the site and get details of the explosion: “Our stand is that if the oil companies were actually policing and carrying out integrity checks on their pipelines and facilities, we will not be experiencing such blow-outs.
“Whatever the cause of the spill, its impact on the environment and livelihood of the people on the immediate and long term is of great concern. Hence, as required by the polluter pay/clean principles, Agip should not only effect containment but also clean up the impacted environment”.