As tensions continue to trail the recent demolition exercise along the NNPCL pipeline right-of-way at Ayambo Community in Bonny Local Government Area of rivers State, fresh voices within the community are calling for a more balanced conversation.
They are advocating conversations that recognize both safety concerns and the humanitarian crisis now facing displaced families.
Kristina Reports had earlier detailed how enforcement actions linked to pipeline right-of-way clearance allegedly forced residents from their homes, leaving thousands, including women and children, without shelter and sparking protests across the community.
Many affected residents claim the exercise was sudden, poorly communicated, and left families scrambling to salvage belongings and secure temporary accommodation.
However, amid the anger and distress, a respected son of the community, Geoffrey Chapp-Jumbo has urged residents to also confront a difficult truth about the dangers of living along oil pipeline corridors.
Checks by Kristina Reports show that the pipeline under review is a high pressure gas pipeline originally emplaced by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) and now divested to Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited.
Chapp-Jumbo, a retired Assistant Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and an indigene of Ayambo, emphasized that while the suffering of displaced families cannot be ignored, pipeline encroachment remains a serious safety threat.
“My brother, let’s be sincere here. Our people have always encroached on oil pipelines right of way which is a criminal offense,” he stated.
“The essence of prohibiting settlers from building on oil pipelines right of way is to avoid hazards and disasters.”
According to him, the potential consequences of pipeline accidents are often underestimated by residents struggling with housing shortages and economic hardship.
“Let’s assume there is a fire ignited underground, it will spread to all structures on the surface of the pipelines, thereby causing a chain reaction that will not spare humans nor structures. Let our people be wise and keep themselves from harm’s way,” he added.
Despite this perspective, many displaced families say they built in those locations out of necessity, not choice. Several affected residents now sleep in overcrowded relatives’ homes or temporary shelters, while business owners say they have lost shops and sources of livelihood overnight.
Community stakeholders are now calling for authorities and oil companies to balance safety enforcement with humane relocation plans, compensation, and proper engagement with host communities.
For many in Ayambo, the issue is no longer just about legality or safety, but survival, and finding a path that protects both lives and livelihoods remains the urgent challenge.