Explosions damage crude, gas pipelines in Bayelsa

Olamide Francis
Unidentified persons have attacked oil facilities operated by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) and Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) at Ikarama community, Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa state, Nature News gathered.
The incident was confirmed to the Daily Times by an eye witness identified as Mr Ben Warder, a youth leader in Ikarama said that residents heard several sounds from the explosions that rocked the oil fields but were too scared to approach the area.
“The site is not far from Ikarama, we heard sounds from the blast and it sounded like dynamites and it was not safe to go near so when the situation became quiet we had to trace what happened and it turned out that Shell’s gas pipeline and Agip’s crude lines were destroyed.
“The incident resulted to air pollution from the gas pipeline and crude leak which members of the affected communities are battling to cope with”.
Meanwhile Mr Michael Adande, spokesman to the (SPDC) while confirming the incident said that the oil firm had received reports of the incident and shut down the facility to curtail impact.
“We have report of an interference on our pipeline about 1 kilometre from Ikarama Community in Bayelsa State. We immediately shutin the line and we have informed the relevant regulatory government agencies and stakeholders.
“A government-led joint investigation team will determine the cause of the interference,” Adande said