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A Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) gas pipeline located at PZ Estate in Ogijo, Ogun State was on Tuesday bombed by people suspected to be militants.
The suspects were said to have posed as NNPC maintenance officials and thereby beating security arrangement at the site.
Narrating the incident to journalists, a resident of the community said: “The men (suspects) pretended as if they were officials of the NNPC who had come to carry out routine maintenance checks in the area.
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“But we were taken aback when after the hoodlums left, a loud explosion occurred later at night, shattering a section of the gas pipeline.”
The loud explosion was said to have sent the residents of the community scampering for safety.
It was gathered that the affected pipeline is serving a 11.4 distribution line for some companies in Ikorodu in Lagos.
The State Police Spokesman, Mr. Muyiwa Adejobi, who confirmed the incident, disclosed that the state command had deployed its men in the area.
“Some hoodlums on Tuesday went and burst a part of a gas pipeline around PZ Area in Ogijo. We heard that they came as if they were officials of a company in charge of the maintenance of the gas pipeline, and the residents were deceived by this ploy.
“We don’t want to conclude yet that they were militants but we call them criminals, and we will get them wherever they are. We are working with sister security agencies. The Divisional Police Officer, Ogijo, Mohammed Tijani, and his team are also there. The Lagos State Police Command has swung into action.”
Adejobi, a Superintendent of Police, said as at the time of filing this report, officials of the NNPC were already carrying out repairs on the affected section of the pipeline.
