Expect more explosions, Rights Activist Warns Against Politicizing incidents 

Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, a rights activist and Executive Director of the Youth and Environmental Advocacy Center (YEAC), has cautioned against linking the recent explosion on the Trans-Niger Delta Pipeline in Bodo, Gokana Local Government Area, Rivers State, to the ongoing political crisis in the region.

Speaking in an interview with Daily Post, Fyneface attributed the explosion to equipment failure rather than political unrest. He urged the public to avoid speculation about ethnic tensions or sabotage as the primary cause.

The activist pointed out that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and Shell, which operate the pipeline, bear responsibility for maintaining the aging infrastructure. He emphasized that the pipelines, in use for over sixty years, have become increasingly prone to failure.

“These pipelines have been in place for over sixty years, and they are bursting and deflating like balloons when heavy pressure is applied to transport crude oil to the export terminal in Bonny,” he explained.

Fyneface highlighted the lack of proper maintenance as a key factor in the deterioration of the pipelines, making them more vulnerable to explosions and oil spills.

Rejects Political Crisis Link

Dismissing claims that the explosion was tied to the political crisis in Rivers State, Fyneface refuted suggestions that threats from local youths—who had warned of sabotaging pipelines amid ethnic tensions between the Ikwerre and Ijaw groups—were responsible.

“Ogoni land does not belong to either the Ikwerre or Ijaw ethnic nationalities,” he stressed, adding that while political tensions exist, they had no direct connection to the explosion.

Fyneface further stated that the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) would ultimately determine whether the explosion was due to equipment failure or sabotage. He called for a thorough investigation to prevent future occurrences.

More Explosions and Spills Likely

According to Naija News, the activist noted that oil spills and pipeline explosions are regular occurrences in the Niger Delta, and any period without such incidents should be seen as a rare moment of relief.

“Any week or month that passes without these two occurrences is a time for celebration,” he remarked, underscoring the environmental challenges facing the region.

Looking ahead, Fyneface warned that due to ongoing divestment by multinational oil companies, the situation could worsen. He expressed concerns that many of the facilities being handed over to indigenous companies are already in a poor state, and these local operators may lack the technical expertise and financial capacity to manage them effectively.

“A lot of these things have been happening, and more are still going to happen because many of these pipelines are already bad, already weak. With divestment ongoing, multinational oil companies are handing over these facilities to indigenous firms that lack the technological capacity and finances to operate them,” he explained.

He concluded by warning that unless significant improvements are made, the region will continue to experience more pipeline failures, explosions, and oil spills in the future.