The Abia State Government has identified equipment failure as the cause of the pipeline explosion that occurred at Owaza Community in Ukwa West Local Government Area on Tuesday.
The observation followed an on-the-spot assessment of the incident by a team of the Abia State Government led by the Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Philemon Asonye Ogbonna.
The inspection team also included the Commissioner for Petroleum Resources, Prof. Joel Ogbonna and the Senior Special Assistant to the Abia State Governor, Prof. Ijeoma Iheukwumere.
Speaking during the visit, Prof. Joel Ogbonna attributed the cause of the explosion to equipment failure, noting that the affected pipeline had exceeded its expected lifespan. According to him, pipelines are typically designed for replacement after approximately 25 years, but the damaged facility had reportedly remained in use for more than 70 years.
He urged the Nigeria Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), owners of the property to immediately commence environmental remediation of the affected areas, and replace the aging infrastructure to avoid future recurrence.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Philemon Asonye Ogbonna, assured affected residents that government was closely monitoring the situation, and urged them to remain calm as efforts were being made to address the incident.
He said the government under Governor Alex Otti remained committed to creating an enabling environment for businesses to thrive, while ensuring environmental sustainability and residents’ safety.
A major victim of the incident, Chief David Nwogu, lamented the extensive damage to his property. He alleged that the pipeline had not received adequate maintenance over the years, a situation, he believes contributed to the incident.
The Government delegation later held a meeting with the management of the NPDC to discuss both immediate and long-term measures to address the situation and prevent recurrence.
