A loud explosion from the truck line of the Obama Flow Station of the Agip Oil Company, on Sunday night, threw the quiet community of Okoroma-Tereke in Nembe local government area of Bayelsa State into commotion.
The explosion and the attendant fire outbreak caused many of the indigenes to abort the carnival-like celebration of the nation’s 51st independence anniversary just as they moved into the neighboring community of Peremabiri over fear of wild fire.
Security forces were considering whether it was an act of sabotage due to earlier text messages sent out by some unknown youths claiming that they were going on with the plot of attacking the flow line.
But? Agip oil had, in an email forwarded to journalists, said it had moved in personnel to effect repairs on the damaged part of the flow station.
Sources from the Tekere community, however, claimed that the pipeline in the area had been leaking oil into the creeks.
The spokesman of the Joint Military Task Force (JTF), Lt. Col. Timothy Anthinga, said though he had no facts on the incident, some of the personnel stationed in Brass local council might have been moved into the scene to confirm the incident.
The management of Agip Oil Company, in an email response to Reuters, also said that it did not? plan to introduce any force majeure on its oil export after the small incident at the pipeline, which is part of Obama-Brass line.
Force majeure is an unexpected circumstances such as war that can be used as an excuse when somebody is prevented from doing something that is written in contract.
“It is a very small incident. No force majeure is expected. Works to repair the damage will be completed in the next few hours,” the oil firm said.