An environmental rights organisation, Social Development Integrated Centre (Social Action), has called for an urgent and transparent investigation into the gas pipeline explosion in Aleto Community, Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State, which left residents injured and destroyed homes, businesses and other property.
The explosion occurred on Thursday, October 15, 2026, and involved a pipeline belonging to the Nigerian Gas Infrastructure Company Limited (NGIC), a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd).
NNPC has confirmed the incident and said it has activated an emergency response.
In a release signed by Dr. Prince Ekpere, Social Action’s Environmental and Resource Justice Manager, the organisation said its officials visited the community on 16 and 18 October and documented damage to residential buildings, a mechanic workshop, vehicles, shops, stalls and vegetation.
Ekpere said residents reported multiple casualties, but that the total number of injured persons and the full scale of property and livelihood losses remained unknown.
“Following visits to the community on 16 and 18 October, Social Action documented damage to residential buildings, a mechanic workshop, vehicles, shops, stalls and vegetation. Residents reported multiple casualties, but the total number of injured persons and the full extent of property and livelihood losses remain unknown,” he said.
Social Action said residents told its team that the pipeline had been leaking for more than two weeks before the explosion. According to the group, the residents described a persistent hissing sound, gas escaping from the ground and, on the morning of the incident, gas bubbling through rainwater.
The organisation further noted that residents reported that personnel believed to be from NNPC visited the area before the explosion and marked off the affected section with caution tape.
“Community members further reported that complaints and petitions had been submitted to government authorities, including the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), and that media houses had been invited to draw attention to the problem,” the release said.
Ekpere argued that the accounts raised serious questions about what the pipeline operator and relevant authorities knew before the disaster, how complaints were handled, and what action followed the reported inspection.
He said, “Social Action considers these questions central to establishing the circumstances of the explosion. If warnings were received before the incident, it is necessary to determine whether they were investigated promptly and whether appropriate measures were taken to protect residents and prevent escalation of the situation.”
Ekpere said the explosion exposed the vulnerability of people living and working close to oil and gas infrastructure in Aleto. It observed residential buildings situated very close to the pipeline corridor, alongside damaged homes and businesses.
He added that traders lost goods and working capital, while workshops and other businesses were damaged. Vegetation, cash crops and economic crops were also affected.
“These are not merely property losses. They raise concerns about the protection of life and health, the safety of homes and livelihoods, and the responsibility of operators and public institutions to address risks that threaten nearby communities,” he said.
The group said environmental justice required that affected residents receive clear information, that the harm they suffered be properly documented, and that appropriate remedies be pursued.
While acknowledging the emergency response that brought the fire under control on the day of the incident, Social Action insisted that more must be done.
It said the community reported that Indorama’s fire service responded to the blaze. The organisation also acknowledged the reported visit to the community on 17 October 2026 by the Managing Director of NGIC.
“These efforts are important. However, extinguishing the fire and visiting the community are only parts of the response. The cause of the explosion, the handling of the reported leak, the extent of the losses and the measures required to prevent a recurrence must still be addressed,” Ekpere said.
He called on NGIC, NNPC Ltd, NOSDRA, the Rivers State Ministry of Environment and other relevant authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into the explosion and the reported prior leak.
He also asked the authorities to establish the cause of the incident, the condition of the pipeline, what was known before the explosion, and the action taken after the reported leak and inspection.
Social Action further demanded that NOSDRA and every other agency that received complaints or petitions disclose when the complaints were received, what action was taken, and the outcome. It further called for the publication of any Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) report and other investigation findings.
The group urged the authorities to document the full extent of casualties and losses, including injuries and damage to homes, businesses, vehicles, farms and other sources of livelihood. It said affected residents should be informed about available medical assistance, compensation where applicable, and other avenues for remedy.
Social Action also called for a review of pipeline safety in Aleto, including an assessment of the proximity of residential buildings and businesses to the pipeline corridor, compliance with safety requirements, and immediate steps to secure remaining hazards.
It further asked for an assessment of possible environmental harm from the explosion, with appropriate remediation where contamination or damage is established.
“The Aleto explosion must not be treated as an isolated emergency that ends once the fire is extinguished,” the group warned.
The organisation said the reported leak and prior complaints made it necessary to examine not only the cause of the explosion, but also whether systems for detecting risks, responding to community concerns and protecting people living near pipelines worked as they should.
Social Action called on responsible institutions to act promptly, disclose their findings, and ensure that affected residents are not left to bear their losses without support or a clear path to remedy.
“The people of Aleto deserve answers, effective protection and concrete measures to prevent a recurrence,” the statement said.
