A fire outbreak has engulfed a section of the Trans-Niger Pipeline (TNP) in Bodo, Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State, following an explosion that occurred on Monday night.
As of Tuesday morning, thick black smoke was seen rising into the sky, while flames spread rapidly into the surrounding mangrove, according to a video that surfaced online. The cause of the explosion remains unclear, with authorities yet to confirm whether it resulted from sabotage, particularly in light of recent threats by militant groups targeting oil infrastructure over the federal government’s withholding of Rivers State’s monthly allocations.
The TNP is a crucial federal transport line that supplies crude oil to the Bonny Export Terminal. When contacted, the spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, stated that she did not yet have full details of the incident.