Panic as Agip gas leakage occurs in Bayelsa community

A gas leakage has been reported along the Bayelsa Palm-New Otuoke Road near Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.

The Nigerian Agip Oil Company and the Shell Development Company of Nigeria Limited operate pipelines crisscrossing the swampy area.

But some locals claimed the affected facility belonged to the NAOC.

The PUNCH learnt that following the leak, a huge volume of gas has been shelling into the atmosphere since 11 pm on Monday night.

Our correspondent, who visited the scene, observed that the leaking point was releasing gas at very high pressure, which could be heard more than 300 meters away.

Apart from farms, the area is yet to witness development as there were no residential houses but a newly established church.

The cause of the incident could not be ascertained at the time of filing this report.

But a local, who gave his name as Abraham Ebi, said his brother told him they heard a loud explosion at about 11 pm.

“It occurred around 11 pm. My brother said they heard a loud noise,” he said.

A lawyer and member of the church, who did not want his name in print, described the explosion as that of a detonated dynamite. Punch