The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Agip pipeline

  • Troops foil Agip pipeline bombing, arrest 19

    Troops of the Joint Force (JF), Operation Pulo Shield, on Friday stopped an attempt by suspected vandals to bomb pipelines belonging to the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) in Okpoama, Brass local government area of Bayelsa State.

    The Coordinator, Joint Media Campaign Centre (JMCC), Col. Ado Isa, in a statement on Friday, said the suspects planted dynamites beneath the pipeline location in a swamp before the troops discovered it.

    He named the items recovered from the scene as two dynamite detonators, cable wire and battery.

    Isa said the troops deployed in Ogbia local government area of the state, carried out anti-illegal oil bunkering patrol and cordon-and-search operation along Ebelebiri and Agba communities.

    During the operation, he said six suspected pipeline vandals were arrested along with eight Cotonou boats loaded with illegally acquired crude oil.

    He said the sites and the recovered items were destroyed immediately, while the suspects were handed over to prosecuting agency.

    Isa said: “On same day, OPS troops, in continuation of its raid on suspected pipeline vandals’ camps carried out cordon-and-search operation in Oporoma Community of Delta State.

    “10 suspected pipeline vandals were arrested during the operation and the following items were recovered from them: one pistol, 195 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, 14 handheld radio sets, diving equipment, personal computer, IPAD, 30 detonating codes and several cell phones with SIM cards belonging to telecoms companies, among others.”

     

  • Troops comb Bayelsa creeks for fleeing Agip pipeline bombers

    Troops comb Bayelsa creeks for fleeing Agip pipeline bombers

    Troops of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence corps (NSCDC), yesterday, stormed the creeks of Bayelsa State in search of the fleeing suspected bombers of a pipeline belonging to the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) in Ikienghenbiri community, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area.

    Sources from the community said armed NSCDC operatives arrived at the area on speedboats and gunboats and moved to adjoining creeks to locate the whereabouts of suspects identified as Suoyou, Iyelawei and Fynboy.

    The suspects were said to have fled the community following the Sunday’s attack on Agip’s Tebidaba-Brass pipeline that passed through the area.

    The suspects allegedly destroyed the trunkline with dynamites causing massive fire and thick smoke that unsettled the community.

    One of the suspects was arrested by troops of NSCDC with support from the surveillance contractor and the community folks.

    Speaking on the incident in a statement, yesterday, the Bayelsa State command of the NSCDC said its operatives were particularly mandated to find a suspected leader of the gang identified as Suoyou.

    The statement by the command’s spokesman Mr. Dauzuo Izonfate, admitted that the arrested suspect was in their custody and would soon be arraigned and “diligently prosecuted”.

    Izonfate said the ongoing operations in the creeks, particularly in Southern Ijaw, would surely lead the operatives to the hideout of the suspects adding that their identities and pictorial images had been known.

    He said: “We want to state that the suspect we arrested in connection with the attack on Agip pipeline at Ikienghenbiri in Southern Ijaw is in our custody. NSCDC, in its resolve to protect and secure the critical national assets in the state as mandated by our Commandant-General will arraign and diligently prosecute the suspect.

    “We are on the trail of other suspects who are on the run and we will surely nab them. We thank the Ikienghenbiri community for their efforts in helping us tackle the menace of vandalism in the state.

    “We are also appealing to other communities to toe a similar path in this collective war against pipeline vandalism, economic sabotage and environmental pollution”.

    Izonfate warned aggrieved youths in the state to explore other peaceful means of expressing their demands instead of resorting in damaging critical national assets and polluting the environment.

    “We are fully committed, motivated and ever ready to protect our national assets and government property in the state”, he said.

  • ‘Bayelsa Agip pipeline blown 13 times in one month’

    ‘Bayelsa Agip pipeline blown 13 times in one month’

    A gas pipeline belonging to the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) at Ogbembiri in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State has been blown up 13 times in one month.

    It was gathered yesterday that some gunmen attacked the facility on Sunday, raising questions in the community on why security agencies detailed to protect the oil installations had not stopped the frequent breaches.

    The gunmen were said to have stormed the community at 9 p.m, tracing the pipeline and rupturing it at a point where it had been fixed, following the last attack.

    While some sources said dynamites were used to blow up the pipeline, others said the gunmen deployed other mechanical devices to rupture the facility.

    It was learnt that the facility is a major gas supply pipeline criss-crossing Tumor community in Bomadi, Delta State as well as Ogbuasiri in Ekeremor and Ogbembiri in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

    While the pipeline is said to be relatively safe in other communities, it has been under constant attacks in Southern Ijaw.

    A source in Ogbembiri community, who spoke in confidence, said the constant breaches of the gas pipeline in the area had become worrisome.

    He said the attacks had raised some questions about the contractor in charge of security surveillance of the pipeline, who is said to be from the community.

    The source added: “Agip awarded both the security surveillance of the pipeline and its repairs, in case of a breach, to a contractor from the community.

    “So, the contractor enjoys dual contract of protecting the pipeline and repairing it whenever there is a leakage. But it is baffling how the pipeline increasingly comes under attacks.

    “It is a major pipeline because it supplies gas for domestic consumption and Agip has spent a lot of money fixing it.”

    Residents of the community wondered why security agencies, such as the Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Pulo Shield, the Navy and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), had not found a lasting solution to the attacks.

    Besides the economic implications of the attacks, it was gathered that each time the pipeline was ruptured, it released toxic substance into the air, polluting the community.

    A security source, who confirmed the incident, said it was time security agencies assisted Agip to end the incessant attacks on the facility in the interests of the environment and the economy.

    But the Bayelsa State NSCDC Commandant, Desmond Agu, noted that though the current attacks had not been officially reported to his command, he had deployed his men to the creeks to protect critical national assets.

  • Niger Delta community laments attacks on Agip pipeline

    A gas pipeline belonging to the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) at Ogbembiri in Southern Ijaw local government area of Bayelsa State has been blown up at least 13 times in one month.

    The Nation gathered on Tuesday that a fresh attack by gunmen occurred on the pipeline on Sunday and raised questions within the community on why security agencies saddled with the responsibility of protecting oil installations had been unable to stop the frequent breaches.

    The gunmen reportedly stormed the community at about 9:00pm, traced the pipeline and ruptured it at a point it was previously repaired after the last attack.

    While some sources said dynamites were used to blow the pipeline, others said the gunmen deployed other mechanical devices to rupture the line.

    It was learnt that the facility which is a major gas supply pipelines in the country criss-crossed Tumor community in Bomadi, Delta State; Ogbuasiri in Ekeremor and Ogbembiri in Southern Ijaw, Bayelsa State.

    While the pipeline is said to be relatively safe in other communities, it has continued to be incessantly attacked at the Southern Ijaw community.

    A source at the Ogbembiri community who spoke in confidence lamented the constant breaches of gas pipeline in the area.

    He said the attacks had raised some questions considering that a contractor in charge of pipeline surveillance hails from the community.

    He said: “Agip awarded the contract for security surveillance and repairs of the pipeline in case of a breach to a contractor from the community.

    “So, the contractor enjoys dual contract of protecting the pipeline and also repairing it whenever there is a leakage. But it is baffling how the pipeline increasingly comes under attack.

    “It is a major pipeline because it supplies gas for domestic consumption and Agip has spent a lot of money fixing it.”

     

  • Three killed as Agip pipeline explodes

    Three killed as Agip pipeline explodes

    Three persons were killed on Sunday in a pipeline explosion at Olugboboro, near Olugbobiri, in Southern Ijaw Local Government of Bayelsa State.

    The pipeline, it was learnt, belongs to the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC).

    A security source, who spoke in confidence, said: “There was a rupture on Agip pipeline and welders were engaged to clamp it. In the process, the pipeline exploded and went into flames.”

    The source blamed the incident on lack of precaution and alleged compromise of safety measures by the oil company.

    He described the incident as one too many.

    The source recalled that last July 9, a blast during a repair at Agip’s oil field in Azuzuama, also in Southern Ijaw, led to the death of 14 people.

    A regulatory official of the Ministry of Environment and National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) and 12 maintenance crew members were among the victims.

    Also, a state Representative of the Environmental Rights Action (ERA) confirmed the report.

    He said two of the deceased were from his maternal hometown in Brass, Brass Local Government Area.

    The representative identified one of the victims as a professional welder and the other as the only son of his mother.

    He said: “Another Agip pipeline explosion claimed three lives on Sunday. The pipeline is at Olugboboro, not far from Olugbobiri.

    “Two persons from my maternal home town, Brass, are among the dead. One of them is a professional welder and the other is the only son of his mother.”

    The representative said some repairs were being done on the pipeline when it exploded.

    “Clamping or repairs were on when the incident happened. At least, that is the cause of the explosion, as per information at ERA’s disposition,” he said.

    But NOSDRA said there was a blast at an oil field operated by Agip.

    NOSDRA’s Director-General Dr. Peter Idabor said an employee of the agency escaped death.

    Idabor said the survivor drew the attention of oil workers to an alleged breach of safety procedure and left the scene before the explosion occurred.

    He added: “I received a report of the incident from our worker in Yenagoa (Bayelsa State capital) office. Luckily, one of our officers in the team survived. Because of the safety conditions of the place, after inspection, my staff left the place. He was not affected.

    “I am going to report the matter officially to the minister of Environment today.”

  • Explosion hits Agip pipeline in Bayelsa

    Explosion hits Agip pipeline in Bayelsa

    •Lawmaker condemns attack

    Another oil pipeline in the Niger Delta came under attack yesterday but this time in Bayelsa State.

    Rocked by explosion was a Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC) pipeline spanning Orukari, Golubokiri and Kpongbokiri communities in Brass local government area.

    Sources blamed the attack on militants.

    Similar attacks were carried out recently in Delta State hours after a Federal High Court in Lagos issued a warrant of arrest against former warlord Government Ekpemupolo alias Tompolo in connection with a case of money laundering.

    Tompolo has denied having anything to do with the explosions.

    The latest sabotage has resulted in a massive spillage of crude oil on  the waterways and at fishing camps.

    Member of the State House of Assembly representing Brass Constituency 1, Isreal Sunny-Igoli, confirmed the explosion.

    Igoli said in a statement in Yenagoa that ýpreliminary investigations into the incident showed that it was an act of sabotage carried out with intent to hurt the economic interests of Bayelsa and Nigeria.

    He said the latest explosion coming so soon after similar bombing of pipelines in the same axis was worrisome and capable of forcing oil companies out of operation, thereby adversely affecting the nation’s economy.

    Sunny- Goli asked security agencies to beef up security around oil facilities with a view to preventing future attacks.

    Condemning the attack ”in its entirety”, Igoli said it was aimed at crippling the economy “at a time the nation is struggling with decline in revenue due to the fall in oil prices.”

    He added:”It is common knowledge that because of the low price of oil which is our main source of revenue, many states can hardly pay workers salaries. This sabotage is capable of crippling the economy if not urgently curbed.

    “If these attacks are not checked and the perpetrators brought to book and Agip decides to pull out of Bayelsa state it would be disastrous for us as a people.

    “Bayelsa state is an oil producing state and our revenue from the federal government is based on our quota of production but this would be reduced if Agip decides to pull out because incessant attacks on its facilities are not stopped.

    “I want to urge security agencies to probe the attack on Agip pipeline and ensure that the perpetrators are arrested and brought to book. Bayelsans especially those that have oil facilities around them should also be vigilant and report any suspicious movement to security agencies to prevent further attacks.”