A statement by the acting Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of the corporation Mr Fidel Pepple , said the three were members of a team deployed to repair recently vandalised products pipeline in Arepo Village in Obafemi/Owode Local Government Area of Ogun.
The statement said the three members of the repair team had been confirmed dead and that some were receiving treatment for injuries sustained from gunshots.
It said the NNPC dispatched the team of pipeline engineers and technologists to the ruptured products pipeline site in Arepo after it had successfully put out the flames by ensuring a complete cut-off of product supply to the pipeline from the Atlas-cove.
The PPMC team was on the verge of gaining access to the damaged point to commence proper assessment of the scope of work when they were ambushed by the gunmen.
“Nigerians need to identify with the NNPC and recognise that it is our collective responsibility to work towards securing the nation’s oil installations which is our collective national asset.
“It is no news that our economy relies heavily on what comes out of these pipelines thus our economic destiny is tied to our pipelines,” it added.
According to the statement, “any attack on our pipeline is an attack on our commonwealth”.