Ike Amos
Abuja — The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Sunday, warned against encroachment on its pipeline Right of Way (RoW), stating that it has commissioned the Army Engineering Corps to commence the demolition of illegal structures along the corridor of its System 2E pipeline network stretching from Port Harcourt-Aba-Enugu-Makurdi.
In a statement in Abuja, by its Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu, the NNPC expressed concern over what it described as the flagrant and dangerous’ violation of its pipeline right-of-way by some individuals and communities along the corridor of the system 2E pipeline network stretching from Port Harcourt-Aba-Enugu-Makurdi.
Ughamadu said the infringement on the statutorily guaranteed 25-metres setback for the infrastructure was not only detrimental to the free flow of petroleum products but was far more harmful to dwellers of illegal structures and shanties due to the combustible nature of hydrocarbon.
He noted that as first step towards eventual removal of such structures by the team of Army Engineering Corps, its downstream subsidiary, Nigerian Pipeline, and Storage Company, NPSC, embarked on extensive consultation and enlightenment exercise targeted at violators in affected communities noting that the safety and wellbeing of the people remain paramount.
The NNPC spokesperson said that based on penetrating reconnaissance executed by the Army engineers stretching from Ogale-Eleme community in PH-Aba axis to Otade community in Enugu-Makurdi leg, structures in violation of the pipeline safety corridor have been identified and clearly marked with notice of imminent removal served on affected occupants.
Before now, Ughamadu explained that the national oil company in concert with the Army Engineering Corps executed successful clearance of the system 2B pipeline ROW from the Atlas Cove in Lagos to Ibadan.
He noted the inseparable link between the cases of oil pipeline right-of-way-encroachment and incessant pipeline vandalism cum oil theft with an attendant negative effect on the economy.
According to him, the creation of the minimum 25-metres buffer for the pipeline was designed to allow for maintenance, repairs, and replacements of pipelines as the need may arise while ensuring the security and safety of the facility.
“The buffer also ensures that those living contiguous to the lines are shielded in cases of leakage, rupture or explosion,” he explained.
Ughamadu noted that the essence of the red flag was to bring urgency to the situation along the PHC-Aba-Enugu-Markurdi line whose level of violation is about 75 percent stating that the position is intolerable with clear cases of individuals channeling products into private homes.
‘’Such incidents are not only crystal clear cases of economic sabotage but pose an unimaginable danger to the entire neighborhood,’’ he stated.
