Scores were yesterday feared dead at an oil facility at Arepo, Ogun State.
They died in the System 2B pipeline fire that erupted from a clash of two rival gangs, whose members stormed the facility to scoop product from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
It was gathered that an explosion occurred during a gun duel between the rival gangs, who regularly storm the area in boats laden with plastic containers to steal petrol.
The victims were said to have been burnt beyond recognition in the inferno, which occurred after midnight on Tuesday.
The owners of the facility, the Pipeline Products Marketing Company (PPMC), a NNPC subsidiary, said it had cut off supplies through the affected pipelines, but the fire was still raging in the swampy area last night.
Some eyewitnesses said they saw floating bodies on the Majidun River. Others claimed that some bodies were evacuated by security personnel.
But, PPMC spokeman Nasir Imodagbe said nobody had access to the scene because of the fire.
A source claimed he sighted five bodies on the river, adding that more may have been removed by security personnel.
He also confirmed that there were several others burnt beyond recognition.
The incident came few weeks after the Federal Government stopped the multi-billion naira pipeline protection contract awarded to the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) by the Dr. Goodluck Jonathan administration.
System 2B is an important pipeline that transports more than 11 million litres of petrol daily from the Atlas Cove Jetty across the Southwest, spanning some 512 kilometres.
The pipeline has been a source of attraction to vandals due to its accessibility, despite huge investment by the NNPC to adopt horizontal directional drilling (HDD), that could have buried the pipelines deeper than the previous 1.5-feet installation layout.
A major attack occurred in Arepo early in the year.
At the time of filing this report, the actual casualty figure could not be confirmed, as rescuers were yet to gain access into the scene for fear of being killed.
It was learnt that neither the police nor the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the bodies mandated to protect pipelines, were on duty when the vandals struck.
A source told The Nation that the security agencies had abandoned their duty posts, adding that emergency workers said they could not enter the canal where the fire was raging for lack of protection.
Another source identified the victims as the vandals, their relations and those who buy stolen fuel in canoes, buses and tankers.
Because of the lucrative nature of their activity and the availability of a market, it was learnt, the vandals make between N300, 000 and N2 million daily, depending on their level of involvement.
Imodagbe told The Nation on phone last night that the fire broke out in the morning and that PPMC had mobilised to put it out after which the damage will be assessed.
However, he noted that because the Arepo pipeline right-of-way is located in a difficult terrain, it had not been possible to access the point where the pipeline was vandalised. Until we have access to the pipeline, we may not be able to put out the fire but we have cut off fuel supply to the line, he added.
He said: “We are aware of the Arepo fire but you know it is in a difficult terrain and we have not been able to get access to the scene. We have stopped pumping product to the pipeline to bring down the level of combustion. We are working with other agencies of the government, including fire-fighters, to get access to the fire point and put out the fire.
“Currently, we are not able to assess the damage including the casualty figure – if any. It is only when we put out the fire that we will be able to assess the damage, repair the pipeline and resume pumping of product.”
On measures against vandalism and product theft, Imodagbe said that the police were monitoring the pipeline. He noted that even the Office of the Inspector-General of Police is involved in the policing of the pipeline.
“Towards the end of past administration, we engaged the services of community security (the Odua Peoples’ Congress). The community policing contract has just elapsed,” he added.
Arepo has been a pipeline vandals’ haven for years. In September 2012, vandals killed three members of staff of NNPC who were sent to repair vandalised pipe there. Between September 2012 and April 2013, about four incidents of vandalism occurred there claiming several lives.
However, another source claimed that the fire broke out after the vandals’ boat developed a fault and went up in flames in the canal.
The source said: “They said that the guys had finished their business but their boat developed a fault and in the process of fixing it, an explosion occurred. Others were injured but more than a hundred were burnt beyond recognition. We could not recognise them.
“It is a very sad day for those guys because it is not just a job where one person is involved. It is like a family business because they introduce their relations to it and even buy jerrycans for them to join.”
Although rescue workers alleged that the scene is about two kilometres away from residential area and doubted the possibility of innocent citizens being victims, unconfirmed reports claimed that over 100 persons might have died in the mishap.
An eyewitness said: “We cannot enter that place. No one has been able to gain access into the canal. We do not have security protection and even the security personnel are afraid of their lives.
“It happened behind the NUJ estate and about two kilometres from the residential area. I think only the vandals are likely victims, since there is no possibility of innocent people going 50metres close to the canal.
“We cannot enter that place unless we are sure the vandals have removed their casualties, else we may be killed.”
Police spokesman Emmanuel Ojukwu said policemen do not work in pipelines. His NSCDC counterpart, Emmanuel Okey, said he had not been briefed on the development.
Ojukwu said: “I do not know the casualty figure. It is a calamity and we are investigating the cause of the clash as well as the fire.”
Asked why policemen attached to the pipeline were not on duty, Ojukwu said: “Policemen do not work on pipelines. We are only involved now because of the incident.”
Also confirming the incident, the Southwest spokesman of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Ibrahim Farinloye, said the vandals’ clash occurred shortly after midnight on Tuesday.
He said: “An unconfirmed report on a clash between different groups of vandals at Arepo around midnight has led to pipeline explosion.
“NNPC has been alerted about the explosion and it immediately shut down supplies to suffocate the fire, while the NNPC safety unit is making effort to put out the fire.
“No one can confirm if there are casualties or any injuries because we have not accessed the place.”
