The nefarious activities of pipeline vandals across the country which is on the increase, has caused a major setback for the country.
Apart from causing fuel scarcity, the vandalisation of the pipelines often times leads to explosion thereby causing loss of lives and properties.
On Monday night, residents of Ijedodo community in Ojo local Government area of Lagos got a rude awakening following a pipeline explosion that rocked the community.
As at yesterday afternoon, majority of the residents were seen relocating from the community due to the fact that the inferno that resulted from the explosion was still glowing and raging fiercely.
The explosion which was caused by pipeline vandals who ruptured the facility, led to a stampede which left many members of the community seriously injured.
However, some of the residents of the community blamed the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) for the explosion.
They claimed that the explosion has become a somewhat “annual ritual”. They also queried the motive behind the removal of the security guards manning the pipelines at Oke Agemo area of Ijedodo by the NNPC.
According to the Nigerian Tribune, NNPC spokesperson, Mr Fidel Pepple, who confirmed the explosion, said the corporation had shut down fuel flow to the stations linked to the pipeline.
As a result, there is likelihood that the South-West region might experience fuel scarcity.