Aleto Gas Explosion: 50 Houses Destroyed, About 20 Injured in Rivers
At least 50 houses have been destroyed and about 20 people injured following a gas pipeline explosion in Aleto community, Eleme Local Government Area, Rivers State.
The explosion occurred around 5 p.m. on Thursday along Old Bori Road, involving a pipeline reportedly operated by the Nigeria Gas Company, according to residents.
Several vehicles were also damaged, while injured victims were taken to hospitals for treatment as residents fled their homes amid fears of further explosions.
A resident identified as Emmanuel alleged that the pipeline had been leaking for about three weeks before the explosion, despite complaints reportedly made to the company.
He claimed that community leaders had notified the Nigeria Gas Company about the suspected leak but received no satisfactory response before the incident occurred on Thursday.
Daniel Chuma, leader of the Eleme Legislative Council, said he had written to the company and petitioned relevant authorities over the reported gas leak before the explosion.
Chuma explained that the community contacted the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) and the Rivers State Ministry of Environment, with the police also notified.
He said the community had requested a joint investigation and urgent intervention, expressing concern that the explosion occurred along the pipeline previously reported to authorities.
According to Chuma, the explosion destroyed more than 50 houses and several vehicles, leaving residents injured and forcing people in the affected area to seek safety.
The Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria) has called on government authorities and environmental agencies to provide urgent assistance to victims of the Aleto explosion.
The organisation’s executive director, Dr Fyneface Dumnamene, appealed to the Rivers State Government, Federal Government and relevant agencies to intervene and support affected residents.
YEAC-Nigeria disclosed that its volunteers visited the scene and observed officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, while the explosion’s cause remained unverified.
The environmental group also stated that it had not independently confirmed any deaths as of the time its statement was issued regarding the Rivers State incident.
The organisation urged NOSDRA to identify the operator of the affected facility and conduct a Joint Investigation Visit to establish the circumstances surrounding the explosion.
It further called for relevant provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021, to be applied where appropriate, as investigations into the incident are pursued by authorities.
The reported explosion has renewed concerns about pipeline safety, emergency response and the protection of communities living near gas infrastructure in Rivers State and the wider Niger Delta.
