Residents of Obianime-Ama in Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State are on edge following the discovery of a ruptured pipeline leaking an unidentified petroleum product in broad daylight.
The incident, which occurred on Sunday, has raised serious concerns about environmental hazards and safety risks in the area.
Sources revealed that the affected pipeline belongs to the Pipeline and Products Marketing Company (PPMC), a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL). Eyewitnesses reported that the leakage began around 2:30 p.m. near a location opposite the PPMC facility in Okrika LGA.
Despite efforts by community members to contain the spill, the situation remains unresolved. As a precaution, residents have cordoned off the area and restricted vehicular and motorcycle movement.
Photos obtained by Channels Television show the extent of the leakage, with residents expressing frustration over the lack of an immediate response from pipeline operators.
While some speculate that vandalism may have caused the rupture, others dismiss the possibility, citing the presence of security personnel guarding the facility nightly.
“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,” said one anonymous resident.
Efforts to reach the Chairman of the Obianime-Ama Community Development Committee and PPMC management for comments were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.
Meanwhile, the Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria) confirmed the incident in a press release on Sunday, calling for urgent intervention.
According to YEAC-Nigeria’s Executive Director, Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, the leakage and subsequent explosion occurred along the PPMC pipeline right-of-way in Okrika. The incident was reportedly linked to ongoing maintenance work by contractors following an earlier pipeline issue on March 20, 2025.
Youth volunteers from YEAC-Nigeria’s One Million Youth Volunteers Network of Human Rights Defenders and Promoters in the Niger Delta documented the explosion with video evidence showing flames erupting from the pipeline. The fire was eventually extinguished later the same day.
YEAC-Nigeria has urged authorities, including the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), to conduct a Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) to determine the cause of the leakage and explosion. The organization also called for accountability under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), 2021.
Fyneface stressed the need for a thorough investigation into recurring oil spillages and explosions in the Niger Delta, particularly in Rivers State, to mitigate their environmental and socio-economic impacts.
As tension remains high in Obianime-Ama, residents are demanding swift action to repair the pipeline and prevent further damage to their community and environment.