A massive explosion shook the Rivers State community late Monday night, destroying a crucial oil pipeline that exports Nigerian crude oil to the international market.
The blast occurred along a section of the Trans-Niger pipeline near Bodo-Bonny Road in Gokana Local Government Area, where road construction is currently underway. A video shared by Channels Television on Facebook showed thick black smoke rising into the night sky as the fire raged.
The Trans-Niger pipeline is a key conduit for transporting crude oil from fields in Rivers and Bayelsa states to the Bonny crude oil export terminal, a major route for Nigeria’s oil exports. The full extent of the damage remains unclear, and authorities have yet to determine the cause of the explosion.
While there is no official confirmation linking the incident to the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State, tensions have been running high. The state has been embroiled in turmoil following a feud between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
The explosion comes just a week after the Ijaw National Congress issued a warning that it would shut down crude oil operations in the Niger Delta if Governor Fubara faced impeachment. The timing also raises questions, as the blast occurred only hours after pro-Wike lawmakers served the governor and his deputy with a letter listing alleged gross misconduct charges.
Rivers State has witnessed escalating political unrest in recent months, leading to violence that has already claimed at least two lives, including a police officer. The crisis deepened last month when the Supreme Court reinstated 27 pro-Wike lawmakers as legitimate members of the state assembly. Shortly after their reinstatement, the lawmakers issued multiple ultimatums to Governor Fubara, including a 48-hour deadline to present the 2025 state budget. However, their refusal to accept the governor’s subsequent attempt to present the budget has further fueled the standoff.
With tensions still running high and the cause of the explosion yet to be determined, authorities are expected to launch an investigation to assess whether it was an accident or an act of sabotage amid the ongoing political crisis.
Source: Swifteradio.com.
