Arepo oil pipeline vandalised again

The Pipelines and Product Marketing Company (PPMC) has confirmed another vandalism of the System 2B pipeline at the notorious Arepo village in Ogun State.

The latest explosion, suspected to have been caused by vandals, happened in the early hours of Wednesday.

A management official of the PPMC, who preferred anonymity, confirmed this in Lagos.

The pipeline fire at Arepo …

“The service manager of the pipeline has just confirmed to us that another round of vandalism has been observed at Arepo along the System 2B in the early hours of Wednesday.

“I was told all concerned officials have been mobilised to the area to put off the fire,’’ the official said.

The number of casualty could not be ascertained as at the time of filing this report.

It will be recalled that the System 2B pipeline at Arepo was vandalised barely 10 days after it was repaired.

Mr Ibrahim Farinloye, the South West Zonal Public Relations Officer of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), also confirmed the latest explosion.

He said that the agency had mobilised resources to move to the swampy area to put out the fire.

“We have mobilised resources to move to the explosion site and put out the fire,” Farinloye said.

This is the second time in 2013 that explosion was recorded at Arepo village.The first was on Jan. 11, when about five charred bodies were reportedly recovered at the scene by security operatives. Besides, a massive explosion had occurred at the area on Aug. 31, 2012. (NAN)