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HOMEF demands probe, removal of unsafe pipelines after Rivers gas explosion – EnviroNews
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The Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) has called for an independent investigation into the gas pipeline explosion in Aleto, Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State, demanding accountability, compensation for victims and the removal of unsafe pipelines.
The explosion, which occurred on October 15, 2026, reportedly damaged homes, shops and vehicles and injured residents, raising fresh concerns about the safety of petroleum infrastructure in the oil- and gas-producing community.
HOMEF made the call after visiting the scene on October 16, where it documented accounts indicating that a suspected gas leak had been reported along the same pipeline corridor before the explosion.
The pipeline is operated by the Nigeria Gas Infrastructure Company Limited (NGIC), a subsidiary of NNPC Limited.
According to the environmental advocacy organisation, the incident has raised serious questions about pipeline maintenance, emergency preparedness, corporate responsibility and regulatory oversight, particularly as communities continue to live alongside ageing petroleum infrastructure.
Comrade Woke John Ebie, Youth President of Aleto and Secretary of the Eleme Youth Council Worldwide, told HOMEF that a suspected gas leak had occurred approximately two months earlier, about 200 metres from the site of the latest explosion.
He said another suspected leak was reported shortly before the incident, prompting a visit by company representatives who erected a barricade at the location.
“A suspected leak happened about two weeks before this explosion; we reported it to the Nigerian Gas Infrastructure Company (NGIC), a subsidiary of NNPC Limited. The company representatives visited the location and erected a barricade, but the explosion occurred the following day,” Ebie said.
The reported warning has intensified concerns over whether adequate measures were taken to prevent the explosion and protect residents.
The Chairman of Eleme Local Government Area, Barr. Obarilomate Ollor, said the recurring pipeline incidents required a comprehensive assessment of the entire network rather than repairs restricted to visibly damaged sections.
He expressed concern that the pipeline could be at least 50 years old, arguing that infrastructure of such age should have been replaced or decommissioned if it was no longer safe for operation.
“The pipeline could be at least 50 years old. A 50-year-old pipeline is beyond decrepit and should have been replaced or decommissioned long ago; we are concerned about its condition and about another gas leak that occurred along the same route weeks earlier,” Ollor said.
He called on the Federal Government to direct the relevant authorities to assess the damage, determine the cause of the explosion, assist victims and provide relief materials.
Ollor also urged a comprehensive review of the company’s pipeline network, including the replacement of ageing infrastructure where necessary.
The explosion has already inflicted economic losses on residents whose livelihoods depend on small businesses and commercial activities.
Fasilatula Waakikeloma, who was inside her shop when the explosion occurred, described the incident as frightening and appealed for government intervention.
“The government should do something. This thing is terrible. I have never seen this kind of thing in my life,” she said.
Another victim, Esther Victor Bright, said she lost goods and a point-of-sale (POS) bag containing approximately ₦100,000 while fleeing the explosion.
“We are struggling here, financially, and even just to breathe. This explosion is already destroying livelihoods and pushing our households into financial distress,” she said.
The Paramount Ruler of Aleto and King of Eleme, His Royal Majesty, King Dr. Philip Osaro Obele, said the community’s strategic contribution to Nigeria’s energy economy had not translated into adequate protection from industrial hazards and environmental pollution.
He listed two refineries, two fertiliser companies, a petrochemical plant, Onne Deep Sea and Light Terminals, Shell flow stations and the NNPC Housing Estate among the major facilities located in or around the area.
“Eleme is the heart and hub of Nigeria’s economy. We have two refineries, two fertiliser companies, a petrochemical plant, Onne Deep Sea and Light Terminals, Shell flow stations, and the largest NNPC Housing Estate in the East. Pipelines criss-cross our land to serve the nation,” Obele said.
He added: “We are the golden bird that lays the golden eggs, but after taking our resources, they kill us with pollution and explosions.”
The traditional ruler also raised concerns about reported acid rain, damaged roofing sheets, unsafe drinking water, declining soil fertility and health problems, urging the government to take urgent action to address the community’s environmental and safety challenges.
Obele supported the call for a state of emergency covering the entire Eleme Local Government Area, rather than Aleto alone, to address recurring gas leaks and other environmental threats.
HOMEF said the incident highlighted the dangers faced by communities situated along petroleum infrastructure corridors, arguing that the repeated occurrence of leaks and explosions demanded more than temporary repairs.
The organisation maintained that the installation date, maintenance history and structural integrity of the affected pipeline must be established to determine whether it remains fit for continued operation.
It insisted that pipelines found to be unsafe should be decommissioned or removed, warning that repeated repairs without addressing underlying structural problems could leave residents exposed to further disasters.
According to HOMEF, the incident reflects broader environmental and social injustices associated with an extractive economy that prioritises the movement of oil and gas while leaving host communities to bear the risks.
The organisation stressed that preventing industrial disasters was the responsibility of pipeline operators and regulatory institutions, not residents who are forced to flee explosions and struggle to rebuild their lives.
HOMEF therefore called on the Federal Government to direct NGIC, NNPC Limited and relevant regulatory agencies to conduct an independent investigation into the explosion and publish the findings.
It urged investigators to establish the technical cause of the incident, determine whether operational failures or negligence contributed to it, and examine how the company responded to the reported leaks before the explosion.
The group also demanded a comprehensive pipeline integrity assessment of the affected corridor before operations resume, alongside the decommissioning or removal of infrastructure found unsafe.
It further called on regulatory authorities to investigate possible operational failures and impose appropriate sanctions where negligence or breaches of applicable obligations are established.
Beyond infrastructure safety, HOMEF urged the authorities and the pipeline operator to provide medical assistance and fair compensation to injured residents and people whose homes, businesses and livelihoods were damaged.
The organisation also called for community participation in safety assessments, monitoring and decisions affecting residents, insisting that people living alongside critical petroleum infrastructure must have a meaningful role in protecting their lives and property.
It maintained that the Aleto explosion should serve as a warning that the safety of host communities must be treated as a priority in Nigeria’s energy operations.
