1st July, 2015
Cyriacus Izuekwe
After years of petroleum pipeline leakages, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, has finally started repairing rusty pipelins that have caused environmental pollution in many communities in Lagos State, western Nigeria.
The NNPC recently moved its workers and equipment to the areas where they are digging out the old pipes and replacing them with new ones to prevent the leakages that have affected houses in some areas.
Some areas in Lagos have suffered environmental pollution due to pipeline leakages that are caused mainly by neglect and vandalism by unidentified persons who siphon fuel.
For several years the residents complained in vain through letters and protests and pleaded with NNPC to save them from the danger leaking pipelines posed in their area. But they were ignored until they started selling petrol scooped from their wells during the recent fuel scarcity.
Their water was polluted by fuel leaking from rusty pipelines so they resorted to fetching water outside the area.
Some of the streets affected in Ejigbo are Fashola, Aminatu Ilo, Kajola, Aya Oye and Oboye.
Others include Sanusi, surprise Avenue, Silva Estate, Cyril Njoku among others.
P.M.NEWS gathered that the workers discovered broken pipes vandalised by oil thieves.
It was learnt that it was those broken pipes that caused leakages that led to the pollution of water in the area.
The residents who expressed happiness over the ongoing work there.
One of the NNPC workers who spoke to our reporter on condition that his name should not be mentioned, said they discovered oil thieves tampered with the pipes which caused the leakages.
He said they have written a report to that effect so that appropriate security measures should be taken to protect the pipes after repairs.
At the time of filing this report, work was still going on around Ejigbo area and would proceed to Idimu.