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The Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) has condemned the gasoline pipeline explosion in Aleto, Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State, calling for an unbiased investigation, accountability for negligence and the decommissioning or removing of pipelines discovered unsafe for continued operation.
The explosion, which occurred on October 15, 2026, reportedly broken properties, outlets and autos and injured residents.
“The incident raises urgent questions about pipeline maintenance, emergency preparedness, corporate responsibility and the protection of communities living alongside ageing petroleum infrastructure,” HOMEF mentioned.
In an announcement issued Tuesday, the organisation mentioned it visited the scene on October 16 and documented disturbing accounts that the explosion was preceded by studies of a suspected gasoline leak alongside the identical pipeline hall.
HOMEF mentioned the Youth President of Aleto and Secretary of the Eleme Youth Council Worldwide, Woke Ebie, disclosed that one other leak had occurred about two months earlier, roughly 200 metres from the location of the most recent explosion.
“A suspected leak happened about two weeks before this explosion; we reported it to the Nigerian Gas Infrastructure Company (NGIC), a subsidiary of NNPC Limited. The company representatives visited the location and erected a barricade, but the explosion occurred the following day,” Ebie mentioned.
The Chairman of Eleme Local Government Area, Obarilomate Ollor, mentioned the repeated pipeline incidents alongside the route known as for a complete evaluation somewhat than repairs restricted to visibly broken sections.
“The pipeline may very well be at the least 50 years previous. A 50-year-old pipeline is past decrepit and may have been changed or decommissioned way back. We are involved about its situation and about one other gasoline leak that occurred alongside the identical route weeks earlier.
“We call on the Federal Government to direct NGC to immediately assess the damage, establish the cause of the explosion, attend to victims, provide relief materials and undertake a comprehensive review of its pipeline network, including the replacement of ageing infrastructure where necessary,” Ollor mentioned.
One of the victims, Esther Bright, reported injury to her store, items and cellphone. She additionally mentioned she misplaced a point-of-sale (POS) bag containing about N100,000 whereas fleeing the explosion.
“I lost a POS bag containing approximately N100,000 while fleeing the explosion. We are struggling here financially, and even just to breathe. This explosion is already destroying livelihoods and pushing our households into financial distress,” she mentioned.
The paramount ruler of Eleme, King Philip Osaro Obele, described the group’s plight, highlighting the realm’s contribution to Nigeria’s economic system and the environmental dangers confronted by its residents.
“Eleme is the guts and hub of Nigeria’s economic system. We have two refineries, two fertiliser corporations, a petrochemical plant, Onne Deep Sea and Light Terminals, Shell move stations, and the biggest NNPC Housing Estate within the East.
“Pipelines criss-cross our land to serve the nation. We are the golden bird that lays the golden eggs, but after taking our resources, they kill us with pollution and explosions,” Obele mentioned.
He additionally raised issues about acid rain, broken roofing sheets, unsafe consuming water, declining soil fertility and reported well being issues, calling for pressing authorities intervention.
“I join the chairman’s call for a state of emergency covering the entire Eleme Local Government Area, rather than Aleto alone, and urge the Federal Government and NGC to take immediate steps to address recurring gas leaks and safeguard lives and property,” he mentioned.
Meanwhile, HOMEF has insisted that the pipeline’s set up date, upkeep historical past and structural integrity have to be established.
The organisation maintained that pipelines discovered to be ageing or unfit for continued operation ought to be decommissioned or eliminated, warning that repeated repairs depart communities uncovered to unacceptable dangers and can’t be thought-about an ample response.
“Communities must not be treated as expendable corridors for extractive infrastructure, and the burden of preventing industrial disasters falls on operators and the institutions mandated to regulate them, not on residents forced to flee explosions and rebuild their lives,” HOMEF mentioned.
The organisation known as on the Federal Government to direct the NGIC, NNPC Limited and related regulatory businesses to analyze the explosion, publish their findings, set up the technical trigger of the incident and decide whether or not there have been failures within the emergency response.
It additionally known as for unsafe pipelines to be decommissioned or eliminated and for a complete integrity evaluation of the affected pipeline hall to be performed earlier than operations resume.
HOMEF additional urged regulatory our bodies to analyze attainable operational failures and impose applicable sanctions the place negligence or breaches of relevant obligations are established.
The organisation additional demanded medical help and truthful compensation for injured residents and people whose properties, companies and livelihoods had been broken.
It additionally known as for group participation in security assessments, monitoring and choices affecting residents.
