An oil pipeline explosion rocked Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State on Saturday, March 22, 2025, following a leakage on a pipeline operated by the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company (PPMC).
According to reports from the Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria), the explosion occurred while contractors were carrying out maintenance work on the pipeline. The repairs were linked to an earlier incident on March 20, 2025.
In a statement issued on Sunday, March 23, YEAC-Nigeria’s Executive Director, Dr. Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, confirmed that members of its One Million Youth Volunteers Network of Human Rights Defenders and Promoters in the Niger Delta and the Crude Oil Spill Alert System (COSAS) Network documented the explosion.
“Our volunteers provided video evidence showing flames on the pipeline right of way where contractors were working. The fire was eventually extinguished the same day.”
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YEAC-Nigeria called on authorities to investigate the frequent oil spills and explosions in the Niger Delta, particularly in Rivers State.
The group urged the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) to conduct a Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) at the PPMC facility to determine the cause of the incident.
“The responsible parties must be held accountable under the applicable sections of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), 2021,” the statement emphasized.
YEAC-Nigeria however demand stricter enforcement of environmental regulations and improved pipeline safety measures to prevent future occurrences.
