The Bayelsa State Government has described as indecent and an aggravation the conduct of the management of Agip Oil Company over its handling of the Azuzuama pipeline explosion tragedy that occurred on Thursday, July 9, 2015.
It would be recalled that at least 12 persons were reported killed in the pipeline explosion which occurred on an Agip oil field in Azuzuama, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, Bayelsa State. Three others were injured in the explosion.
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The victims were said to be part of team of the Bayelsa State Ministry of Environment, the Department of Petroleum Resources, the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC), the representative of the Azuzuama Community, the NOSDRA and security officials on a Joint Investigation and Verification (JIV) exercise set up to probe an oil spillage on the Tebidaba/Azuzuama trunk line of the company when the accident occurred.
According to Barr. Iniruo Wills, the Bayelsa State Commissioner for Environment, “Agip has refused or been footdragging to release the autopsy report, death certificate and collection card for our staff’s remains, several weeks on. We find this to be grossly indecent and an aggravation of the Azuzuama tragedy that we and the families are still grappling with. The families continues to be in suspense and has had to change burial plans because of this.”
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Warning, he said, “We would treat it as a provocation and respond with appropriate governmental sanctions if we don’t receive these papers by the close of business on Tuesday, August 11, 2015.
It remains to be seen if the management of Agip Oil Company would expedite action on the government’s demands and forestall a breakdown of relations between the two parties.
