Saharareporters, New York
Photo Credit: National Geographic
The pipeline fire that killed over 1,000 Nigerians in Abule –Egba area of Lagos has been traced to a criminal syndicate involving top security agents and NNPC officials, a source told Saharareporters that a criminal syndicate within the government is actually responsible for the pipeline vandalization.
An eye witness account told Saharareporters that the group arrived at the Abule –Egba area of Lagos where the NNPC pipeline conveying petrol to Mossimi Depot in Ogun State was located with a full convoy of policemen numbering 50 leading five petrol tankers. “They arrived with sophisticated equipments with which they drilled the pipeline, lifted petroleum products and departed with five tankers, there were mobile policemen and soldiers everywhere, nobody dared ask any questions”, said the eyewitness.
The group left at about 6:00 AM in the morning and the ordinary people and area-boys (Lagos Street Urchins) took over the scene to scoop petrol out of the leaking pipe, there were also policemen helping the area boys, somehow the fire started about 7:45 AM quickly spread, killing many people including passersby’s and residents in the neighborhood.
The syndicate, Saharareporters was told, have there people in the NNPC who switch off electronic gadgets that normally monitors the pipeline which allows the syndicate to drill the pipes at the most vulnerable spots. According to our sources, this syndicate makes 60 million naira from 5 tankers lifted from the pipeline.
A petroleum engineer based in Lagos, who spoke to us anonymously, said: “there is no way a commoner like area boys would have drilled a high pressured petrol pipeline without getting incinerated doing it on the spot. It takes knowledgeable experts to drill high pressure pipelines; this is certainly an inside job”.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) is responsible for the distribution of petroleum products in Nigeria, despite million of dollars spent on providing helicopters and high level equipments to monitor pipelines, the so-called “pipeline vandalization by ordinary Nigerians” as claimed by the NNPC, has continued to inhibit the provision of uninterrupted fuel supply to millions leading to crippling petrol scarcity since last week all over Nigeria.
The NNPC spokesperson, Dr. Livi Ajuonoma blames those he called “pipeline vandals” for the latest tragedy, even though he admits on the NTA that his office was aware that the pipeline at Abule-Egba, Lagos was being vandalized and had contacted the Nigerian Police for help. The NNPC is one of the government agencies under direct control of President Obasanjo and also one of the agencies adjudged most corrupt in Nigeria today.
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