Darkness looms as vandals destroy gas pipeline

AGAIN, parts of the country may be thrown into darkness, as vandals struck at the Escravos-Lagos Pipeline System (ELPS) Gas Pipeline at Inikorogha, Gbaramatu Kingdom, Delta State, blasting away about 24 inches of the pipeline.

 General Manager, Public Affairs, Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Seun Olagunju, in a statement in Abuja, said the act would affect power supply.

The development, she said: ” has once again affected gas supply to electricity generation and resulted in the reduction of generated power to the national grid. “

She added: “The vandals also struck the Trans- Forcados Pipeline a month ago and while restoration efforts were being completed, they struck again.

“You may recall that early in February, the Minister of Power, Prof Chinedu Nebo signed several MoUs with the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), the office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Youth Matters and several NGOs to embark on sensitization of Nigerians to desist from acts of vandalism and report any plan to vandalize gas and power infrastructure.”

TCN assured that government was unrelenting in efforts to check these acts of sabotage, including introducing sophisticated technology, in order to provide more reliable and stable power supply to the people.

The statement noted: “TCN regrets any inconvenience assures that the NGC was working assiduously to ensure the quick restoration of gas supply through the blasted pipeline to generation companies while it remains prepared and equipped to efficiently evacuate generated power received from the Gencos.”