Akwa Ibom Govt Rubbishes Avengers’ Pipeline Bombing Claim

Militants (1)

The Akwa Ibom State Government has debunked rumors of pipeline bombing in Ikot Osute, calling for calm among citizens who may have been troubled by the purported development.
The militant group calling itself the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) claimed Thursday to have blown up a pipeline belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) at Ikot Osute, Oruk Anam Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom.

Refuting the claim in a statement, the Akwa Ibom Commissioner for Information and Communications, Aniekan Umanah, said: “There is no iota of truth in the claims making rounds in the social media”.

He said what happened was an eruption caused by leakage in the old pipeline of the Nigerian Gas Company, NGC, which traversed the area.

“No pipeline has been bombed in Akwa Ibom State; those peddling such rumours are ignorant of the true situation in the affected area.
“As at yesterday morning, when security operatives and officials of the State government visited Ikot Osute, the state Ministry of Environment, NGC personnel and other gas companies operating the area were on site, working round the clock to ensure safety in the area”, Mr. Umanah stated.

The commissioner enjoined Akwa Ibom people and Nigerians to remain calm and go about their lawful businesses as government was committed to protecting lives and property of all citizens.
He assured that security agents had cordoned off the area to forestall any eventuality.