Pipeline explosion averted in Aboru, Lagos

The Agbado/Oke Odo Unit of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) says it averted an oil pipeline explosion in the Aboru, Agbado/Oke Odo Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Lagos State.

The commander, Mr Malik Ojetola, said in a statement on Sunday that the unit received a distress call from the Community Development Association (CDA) to the effect that petrol was gushing out of a pipeline in the community.

“A distress call was received from the CDA on Sunday at 6.30 a.m that PMS (petrol) was gushing out of an oil pipeline at Ola Mummy – Aboru.

“On getting to the spot, we discovered that the fuel was not gushing out directly from an NNPC pipeline but a location adjacent – about 50ft from the NNPC pipeline.

“A call was put through to an.NNPC maintenance team; the team arrived at 10.15 a.m,” he said.

Aboru has a boundary between Agbado/ Oke Odo LCDA and Mosan Okunola LCDA.

The commander said that a galvanised pipe attached to the pipeline was discovered.

He said that the pipe had been removed from an oil pipeline pegged by NNPC engineers.

Ojetola said it was observed that the attached galvanised pipe ruptured at about a 50ft distance from the NNPC pipeline.

“The attached pipe has a tap-like valve permanently opened where it is connected to the pipeline.

“The other end of the attached pipe also has a tap valve normally used to open and close the flow of the fuel.

“Firefighters from the Lagos State Fire Service and Lagos State Emergency Management Agency later joined the team on ground to avert explosion and prevent any casualty.

The maintenance work was completed around 2.12p.m.” he said.