The National Emergency Management Agency has said evacuation of the
bodies at the Arepo pipeline explosion scene has begun.
Bodies were found floating in the swamp around the explosion site.
NNPC pipeline was vandalized on Saturday January 12th at Arepo in Ogun state,
barely a month after it was fixed after it was vandalized in August 2012. The
vandalism led to an explosion that killed at least 30 people.
Bodies of four of those people were found yesterday Sunday January 13th
floating in the swamp around the explosion site in Arepo. The bodies had
floated up from the water, while several bodies are suspected to be inside
the swamp.
The explosion occurred according to an eye witness, Sunday Reuben
(pictured above, who is now late) after two of the vandals reportedly
engaged in a heated argument which led to one of them shooting into the air
with his rifle. Bullets shot from the rifle hit the ruptured pipeline and led to
the explosion.
Several died, many arrested.
Spokesperson of the National Emergency Management Agency, Ibrahim
Farinloye said
“Our assessment show that more bodies will still be inside the
swamp. This is why we cannot give a specific number of casualties at the
moment.
“Two of the bodies found seemed to have floated up from the water. It is
likely that more bodies may float later. But we will start the recovery of the
bodies found as soon as Red Cross officials and medical team of the Nigerian
National Petroleum Corporation arrive.”
He also said that its important for the state to contribute to tackling the menace of
vandalism instead of shifting blames.”
“The state is expected to mobilise traditional institutions and residents, who
know the terrain more better to assist in intelligence gathering,” he said.
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