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Residents of the Obianime-Ama Community in Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State are gripped by unease after a pipeline burst open in broad daylight on Sunday, spilling an unidentified petroleum product across the area. The incident has sparked widespread worry about looming environmental damage and safety threats.
Sources informed the press that the compromised pipeline is managed by the Pipeline and Products Marketing Company (PPMC), a division of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL). Eyewitnesses pinpointed the start of the leak to around 2:30 p.m., occurring near a spot just opposite the PPMC facility in Okrika LGA.
Community members have scrambled to curb the spill’s spread, but with little success, they’ve taken matters into their own hands—barricading the site and halting vehicle and motorcycle traffic to minimize risks. Images shared with Channels Television laid bare the scale of the leak, amplifying local frustration over the pipeline operators’ sluggish response.
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Speculation swirls about the cause: some point to vandalism, while others wave off that theory, noting the nightly patrols by security personnel around the facility. For now, the community remains on tenterhooks, awaiting action to stem the growing hazard.
One resident, who chose to remain anonymous, stated, “It can’t be vandalism. People guard this place every night, so that kind of thing is impossible. The pipeline is old and needs to be replaced.”
Attempts to contact the Chairman of the Obianime-Ama Community Development Committee and PPMC management for their statements proved fruitless as this report was prepared.
In the meantime, the Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria) released a statement on Sunday, verifying the pipeline incident and pressing for immediate response. The release, signed by Executive Director Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, detailed that the leak and a subsequent explosion took place along the PPMC pipeline right of way in Okrika. It noted that the event appeared connected to maintenance activities by contractors, following a prior incident on Thursday, March 20, 2025.
