Pipeline vandalism: Govt demolishes buildings in Arepo

Bulldozer demolishing one of the buildings.
| credits: Simon Utebor

The Federal Government has begun demolition of buildings constructed near pipeline in Arepo Village, Obafemi Owode Local Government, Ogun State.

 

Arepo had continuously been in the news over pipeline vandalism, which usually resulted in explosion and fire outbreak.

 

The latest incident was in January 2013, two weeks after a similar incident took place, burning no fewer than 40 persons to death.

 

PUNCH Metro learnt that the demolition was part of the measures by the government to check activities of pipeline vandals in the area.

 

When PUNCH Metro visited the area on Monday, many buildings, particularly makeshift shops, had been brought down.

 

While government bulldozers demolished the buildings, officials of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, soldiers and officials of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps were on ground.

 

The NNPC engineers directed the exercise, while the soldiers chased away onlookers, including residents.

 

An NNPC official, who led the demolition team, told our correspondent on condition of anonymity that the structures encroached on NNPC’s right of way.

 

“As you can see, this is NNPC pipeline. Building on it is illegal. This is also to stem the incessant pipeline vandalism in the area. This is the only information I can give you. If you desire any further information, you may find out from our Mosimi office,” he said.

 

Soldier harasses The Punch correspondent

An overzealous soldier harassed one of our correspondents, Mr. Simon Utebor, for taking the pictures of the demolished buildings.

 

The soldier also seized his BlackBerry which he was using to take the pictures.

His explanation that he had spoken with the leader of the team fell on deaf ears.

Utebor said, “The soldier shouted, ‘Why are you here? And who gave you the permission to take pictures?’

 

 I explained to him that I am a journalist and that I had been given the permission to do my job there. He said there was an instruction that no journalist should be allowed to cover the demolition.

 

“I told him I was not aware of that and that since the demolition was of public interest, journalists would be there. He ordered me to give him my BB, which I did. He asked me to come along, and I followed him. When he got to a ranking NNPC official, he spoke with him. After they finished, the NNPC official asked him to give me my BB and he complied.”

 

Residents, victims react to the demolition

Some residents, whose houses were yet to be demolished, were seen removing detachable items from their buildings.

 

PUNCH Metro learnt that town planning officials from the Ogun State Government had at various times issued warning notices to residents to refrain from building on the NNPC Right of Way.

 

A victim, Mr. Adewale Adekotiremora, said the action was a “fire brigade approach”.

Adekotiremora said, “I do not support the demolition. This is because the place is not well-secured. If the place had been properly secured, people would not have built on the pipeline.”

 

Another affected resident, Adebesin Adedayo, said the development did not come to him as a surprise.

 

He said, “I have removed valuables such as metal window, door and other items that could still be useful to me at a later date. The demolition only affected a part of my building and not all of it.

“Government had issued us with notices several times. This time they brought two notices, the last one being a seven-day notice.”

 

A woman, Wumi Eze, who operates a shop in the area, said warnings by government officials who had visited the area, made her losses minimal.

 

Another victim, Kunle Adeyemi, said, “Two of my shops were pulled down. I have been receiving notices for the past two years. I am not embittered about the development because I saw it coming too.”

 

A resident, Olumuyiwa Babatope, said the demolition was long overdue.

He said, “With incessant vandalism, we have been exposed to danger. The demolition is a good one.”

 

Nurudeen Oladokun toed the line of Babatope, saying though it was painful for people to lose their shops, it was a step in the right direction.