NSCDC RAISES ALARM OVER VANDALISED OIL PIPELINE IN ENUGU COMMUNITY
REPORTER: CHRISTIAN NWANGENE
Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Enugu State Command, has warned of possible disaster at the densely populated Nchatancha Nike Community, a suburb in Enugu East Local Government Area of Enugu State.
This is due spillage of substance suspected to be petroleum product from a broken pipeline that passed through the compound of Community Primary School, Nchatancha, said to be accommodating nearly 2000 pupils.
Although the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has not been pumping through the pipelines recently, some criminal elements in the area have continuously engaged in the breaking of the pipelines in search of left over products.
Addressing journalists after inspecting the site, the Commandant, NSCDC, Enugu State Command, Mr. Afrika Valentine Ezenyimulu, warned residents in the affected areas not to lit fire, so as to avert imminent danger.
“The corps is by this medium sending a strong warning to members of the public over tampering with public infrastructure as the corps has intensified efforts to arrest and prosecute offenders.
“More worrisome is that some of these activities take place near residential buildings, yet the residents are reluctant to report such acts to security agencies,”he complained.
Mr. Ezenyimulu called on the authorities of the NNPC to control the spillage to avoid anything that could result in the loss of lives and property.
The NSCDC boss urged government at all levels and wealthy individuals to do more to provide jobs for teeming jobless youths roaming most communities to stem the tide of criminality.
Mr. Ezenyimulu, equally appealed to the residents to assist security with useful information that would lead to apprehending criminals.
A member of the local vigilance group, Mr. Sunday Chukwuemeka Eze, who has kept vigil over the affected site with his men to forestall any imminent danger, told Radio Nigeria that they observered untoward movement of some young boys around the location four days ago and moved to there only to discover that the pipe had been broken and they quickly alerted the personnel of the NSCDC.
“This is the primary school, we don’t want anything to happen to our children, that’s why we’re here day and night to ensure that fire does not come,” the vigillance member narrated.
Mr. Eze appealed to the relevant bodies to come and repair the damaged pipeline, while urging the government to equip them to confront the criminals, who had in the recent times been terrorising the area.
“If government can empower the pipeline security, let them be serious with especially this area, from here now down to Akpugo, they normally vandalise the pipe, always we are fighting with them, I know how we used motorcycle to pursue them, so we need government to come and help us.”he said.