Around 5 p.m. on Thursday, a ruptured gas pipeline owned by the [Nigeria Gas Company](https://www.nigeriagascorp.com) exploded on Old Bori Road in the Aleto community of Eleme Local Government Area, Rivers State, destroying over 50 houses, injuring roughly 20 people and prompting emergency evacuations.
**What triggered the blast?**
Local resident Emmanuel, who asked to remain unnamed, said the pipeline had been leaking for about three weeks before the explosion. He added that community leaders had alerted the company, but no corrective action was taken.
**How have officials responded?**
Daniel Chuma, leader of the Eleme Legislative Council, confirmed he wrote to the gas company and filed a petition with the [National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA)](https://www.nosdra.gov.ng) and the [Rivers State Ministry of Environment](https://environment.riversstate.gov.ng), copying the police for urgent intervention. He visited the blast site and reported that the explosion destroyed more than 50 homes, damaged several vehicles and sent many victims to nearby hospitals.
**What is the stance of civil society?**
Dr Fyneface Dumnamene, executive director of the [Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria)](https://yeac-nigeria.org), issued a statement urging the Rivers State government, the federal authorities and NOSDRA to launch a joint investigation and invoke relevant provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021. YEAC volunteers who inspected the area noted the presence of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps personnel, but said the exact cause of the explosion remains unverified.
**What are the immediate impacts?**
The blast left more than 50 residential structures reduced to rubble, several cars burnt, and about 20 individuals with injuries ranging from minor cuts to serious burns. Emergency services rushed the injured to hospitals, while survivors were urged to stay away from the site to prevent further harm.