In order to stem the ram pant cases of oil pipelines vandalism in the country, the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company Limited (PPMC) in conjunction with the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) has embarked on a campaign to sensitize the citizenry on the dangers posed by vandalism of products pipe lines.The event which took place recently, brought together top management staff of both the PPMC and LASEPA.

On the first day of the enlightenment campaign, all the officials involved in the programme gathered at the LASEPA’s office along Lateef Jakande road, Agidingbi-Ikeja where they kick-started a road show.

The road show took them through Wernpco Road, across Pert-Cinema, Agege to Jyana-Ipaja and finally culminated at the Palace of the Baale of Baruwa Community, on the outskirts of Lagos. The group distributed handbills and relayed enlightenment jingles via public address system.

In his keynote address at the palace of the Baale, the GMD of the NNPC, who was represented by the Manager, Fire, Safety and Environment of the PPMC, Reverend S.I.O Ejezie, assured that although the campaign was brought to the community, it did not in any way portray them as vandals, adding that it was meant to sensitize and make them fully aware that the acts of vandals perpetrated within their community could adaversely affect them. He enjoined them to be vigilant and to report to the appropriate authorities, any strange faces or suspicious movement they might notice in the area.

He further stated that the act of vandalism was not peculiar to Baruwa Community alone, as it occurs across the country, explaining that about 5,000 kilometres of oil pipe lines criss-cross the length and breath of the whole federation. He added that crude oil deposits in the country should be a blessing to the country rather than a disaster.

Responding to the issue of water pollution in the area as a result of oil pipelines vandalism, he promised that the management of the corporation would do something concrete about the situation in order to ameliorate the problem. He specifically said that pipe-borne water would be provided for the community, which has for sometime now relied solely on water tankers for their daily water needs.

Responding, the Baale of Baruwa Community, Alhaji Halidu Baruwa thanked the management of NNPC and LASEPA for taking the initiative to embark on the enlightenment campaign programme but however pointed out that the entire people of the community had been living in fea