A section of the Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP) in Bodo, Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State, was rocked by an explosion late Monday, March 17, night, sending thick black smoke into the sky as flames spread rapidly into the surrounding mangrove.
The cause of the explosion remains unclear, but the incident occurred near the ongoing Bodo-Bonny Road construction site. The TNP is a crucial federal pipeline that transports crude oil to the Bonny Export Terminal.
There are concerns that the blast may be linked to recent threats by militant groups to attack oil infrastructure in protest against the Federal Government’s withholding of Rivers State’s allocation amid the ongoing political crisis.
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However, authorities have yet to confirm if human interference played a role.
Police spokesperson Grace Iringe-Koko, when contacted, said she would look into the situation but had yet to provide further details at the time of filing this report.
The explosion is the latest in a series of disruptions affecting Nigeria’s oil infrastructure, raising fresh fears over the security of vital energy assets in the region.