Scene of the explosion

Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt

There was an explosion on 28 inch Agbada/Bomu Trunk line in Gio Community in Tai Local Government Area area of Ogoniland in Rivers State belonging to Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC,.

The immediate cause of the explosion in the early hours of Monday is yet to be ascertained.

There is now fire a huge black smoke that has enveloped the skyline polluting the environment.  Curiously, the eruption occurred  just few meters from the surveillance post mounted by security agencies.

The first eruption which led to serious fire outbreak occurred in same community last July 10, 2016, leading to a complete destruction of livelihoods belonging to the entire Akpene kindred.

United Nations Environment Programme,UNEP, is said to have recommended immediate decommissioning of the trunk line.

At the time of this report, there has never been any official report or reaction from SPDC on the explosion.