BREAKING!!! Pipeline explosion rocks Bayelsa state

– Explosion rocked a pipeline in Brass local government area of Bayelsa state
– ‎Preliminary investigations showed that it was

an act of sabotage carried out to hurt the economic interests of the state
– Isreal Sunny-Igoli, a member representing Brass constituency 1 in the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, called on security agencies to probe the attack

A few days after an attack on oil and gas pipelines in the Gbaramatu kingdom in Delta state, another explosion rocked a major pipeline in the region.

The Nation reports that the attack occurred on a pipeline owned by the Nigeria Agip Oil Company in Brass local government area of Bayelsa state on Thursday, January 28.

Panic was said to have gripped local resident after suspected militants attacked the pipeline located along Orukari, Golubokiri and Kpongbokiri communities in Brass.

Confirming the incident, Isreal Sunny-Igoli, a member representing Brass constituency 1 in the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, said that ‎preliminary investigations showed that it was an act of sabotage carried out to hurt the economic interests of the state and the whole country.

Sunny-Igoli expressed concern that the explosion and the recent bombing of pipelines are capable of forcing oil companies out of operation and negatively affecting the economy.

I want to condemn the latest attack on Agip pipeline at Kpongbokiri. This is a clear sabotage by economic saboteurs. Recently they blasted pipeline at Orukari and Golubokiri.
 
“I condemned this latest attack on Agip pipeline at Kpongbokiri in its entirety. It is sabotage against Nigeria in a bid to cripple the economy at a time the Nation is struggling with decline in revenue due to the fall in oil prices.

“It is common knowledge that because of the low price of oil which is our main source of revenue, many states can hardly pay workers salaries. This sabotage is capable of crippling the economy if not urgently curbed.

“If these attacks are not checked and the perpetrators brought to book and Agip decides to pull out of Bayelsa state it would be disastrous for us as a people.

“Bayelsa state is an oil producing state and our revenue from the federal government is based on our quota of production but this would be reduced if Agip decides to pull out because incessant attacks on its facilities are not stopped,” he said.

Sunny-Goli called on security agencies to probe the attack on the pipeline and bring perpetrators to book. He also urged Bayelsans to be vigilant and report any suspicious movement to security agencies to prevent further attacks.

Meanwhile, the federal government has displayed its commitment to wipe out pipeline vandalism in the country by launching a military operation code named “Operation AWATSU”.

Operatives of AWATSU have already arrested 25 members of the gang of vandals operating at the Arepo in Ogun state and parts of Lagos.