Posted by By FEMI FOLARANMI, Yenagoa on
Suspected hoodlums on Thursday blew up an oil pipeline belonging to Italian Oil giant, AGIP in Tedidaba, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
Suspected hoodlums on Thursday blew up an oil pipeline belonging to Italian Oil giant, AGIP in Tedidaba, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
According to reports, the youths behind the incident were from communities around the area who had accused AGIP of insensitivity to host communities.
The youths had in the recent past protested against the non-implementation of its Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), accusing the company of reneging on its pact with the communities in the area.
The destruction of the pipeline had already forced AGIP to shut down its facility in the area which produces 20,000 barrels per day.
Also, Governor Timipre Sylva of Bayelsa State was quoted by a news agency as describing the youths who blew up the pipeline as saboteurs.
He was quoted as saying: 'Some community members went into the forest where the pipeline is located and undercover of night blew it up. The amount of crude oil affected was not too significant."
Sylva was reported to have said the attack was due to community dispute with the oil company.
The Commander of the Joint Military Task (JTF), Lt. Col Chris Musa who confirmed the incident to Daily Sun said investigations had been launched into the incident to ascertain what actually happened.
'Yes, there was a pipeline explosion around the Teididaba area but not at the flow station. The company has swung into action and they would be able to tell us whether it was purely a community issue or militant action."
Musa, however, assured that security has been beefed up in the area to apprehend those involved in the act. The office of the Peace and Conflict Resolution Committee, it was learnt, had sent its men to the area to get first hand reports.