July 24, hit a gas pipeline belonging to the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) at Nsite Ibom local government area, Akwa Ibom state.
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Residents of Obotim Nsit community in Nsit Ibom Local Government Area, LGA, of Akwa Ibom State say the recent explosion of a gas pipeline in the area have left them in shambles.
Mani, who reacted during an interview in Uyo over the NNPC gas pipeline explosion, attributed it to technical faults. Mudoch Agbinibo, in a statement, challenged NNPC to “check their pipeline for “system anomaly”. “There are technical problems in the gas pipeline”, he said.
The Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) had alleged that they blew up the oil facility on Sunday at about 11:30PM.
The group said its aim is to cripple Nigeria’s economy while demanding the secession of the Niger-Delta region.
The Niger Delta Avengers have always emphasized they will not take lives but will destroy infrastructure in an attempt to force the Nigerian government to give a bigger portion of oil revenues to the local communities.
The group also demanded the sacking of NNPC’s Group Managing Director Dr. Maikanti Baru and replacement of same with an indigene of the Niger Delta. Among the worldwide companies operating in the Niger Delta that have been hit by the Niger Delta Avengers are Shell, Exxon, Chevron, and Eni.
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While the State Commissioner of Police, Mr Murtala Mani, claimed that the explosion was not caused by militants’ attack, the Transition Committee Chairman in the area, Mr Victor Umondak, disagreed, saying militants’ activities should not be ruled out from the act.
