Security operatives have arrested a suspect in connection with the explosion that occurred on the Trans-Niger Pipeline (TNP) Right of Way, on Sunday, at Aluu community, Ikwerre Local Council of Rivers State.
However, the TNP in the Bodo community, Gokana Local Council of the state, resumed operations yesterday.
According to sources, the arrest was made possible by credible intelligence gathered by the covert team of Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL) in Aluu.
An operations staff member of PINL, who identified himself as Ebikeme, confirmed the arrest to journalists, yesterday.
According to The Guardian, he said: “On Sunday, March 16, 2025, there was a blast on the TNP Pipeline Right of Way in Aluu Zone 5, and a suspected vandal was found dead at the site of the incident from the effect of the blast,” he said.
Ebikeme further stated that upon further investigation, another suspected vandal was apprehended in connection with the incident.
He added: “The suspect is in police custody, while further investigation is being carried out to nab all other perpetrators in the act.”
This incident is not an isolated one, as similar blasts occurred on Monday night and Tuesday morning at Bodo and an oil facility in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Council.
The arrest of the suspect was seen as a significant breakthrough in the investigation, and security agencies were working to unravel the circumstances surrounding the explosion and apprehend other culprits involved.
Crude oil flowing into TNP has been routed through an alternative line after blasts ruptured the main line on Tuesday, a spokesperson for Renaissance told newsmen.
The spokesperson said the alternative line passed an integrity test yesterday, and, subsequently, crude was diverted as repairs continued on the main line.
He also said that after preliminary investigations, arson was suspected.
The Guardian reports that the TNP, with a capacity of around 450,000 barrels per day, is one of two pipelines exporting Bonny Light crude from Nigeria, Africa’s biggest oil producer.
It is owned by the Nigerian oil consortium, Renaissance Group, after Shell’s local unit sold its shares to Renaissance Energy, which includes Nigerian exploration and production companies Aradel Energy, First E&P, Waltersmith and ND Western, along with the international energy group, Petroline.
TNP, a critical federal oil transport line, feeds crude oil to the Bonny export terminal in Rivers.
The explosion led to a temporary shutdown and raised concerns about potential environmental damage and oil supply disruption in the region.
Renaissance Group’s spokesperson, Tony Okonedo, told newsmen: “Operations have resumed. We previously suspended operations to respond to third-party interference, but now we have resumed.”
