Outcry as flood spills crude to rivers, farmlands in Bayelsa

Sources of water, farmlands, fishing gears, swamps, crops and environment have been polluted as fresh oil spill erupted from the Ogboinbiri-Tebidaba pipeline operated by Oando plc in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. The incident, which was first noticed on Friday, is said to be spewing crude into rivulets and forests around the […]

Sources of water, farmlands, fishing gears, swamps, crops and environment have been polluted as fresh oil spill erupted from the Ogboinbiri-Tebidaba pipeline operated by Oando plc in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

The incident, which was first noticed on Friday, is said to be spewing crude into rivulets and forests around the Apoi Creek, and it is fast spreading due to the flooding occasioned by heavy rain, which has made the surrounding rivers and creeks overflow into the farmlands.

According to the residents, the oil spill facility inherited by Oando from Nigeria Agip Oil Company, is discharging hundreds of barrels of crude oil into Apoi Creek, swamps and farmlands around the vicinity.

Consequently, indigenes and residents of the community are said to have lost their means of livelihoods as farm produce has been destroyed while fishermen can’t go out for fishing.

Daily Trust recalled that about a month ago, specifically on September 5, an oil spill from the same Ogboinbiri-Tebidaba pipeline occurred in the community, which was said to have been caused by equipment failure and a rupture at the facility.

Natives of impacted communities such as Keme-Ebiama, Ogboinbiri and others said their source of water, farmlands, fishing gears, swamps, crops and environment have been polluted.

They said the spill was reported with crude bubbling out of the pipeline buried under the water connecting the Ogiori stream flowing to the Apoi Creek.

The spill, which has spread faster due to rising flood levels has impacted adversely on the Apoi Creek and swathes of marshland and farmlands of Apoi clan in Southern Ijaw with communities such as Keme-Ebiama, Kokologbeni, Gbaraun, Apoi and as far as Ukubie.

The Chairman, Council of Chiefs in Keme-Ebiama, Chief Newstyle Ogiori, who lamented about the incident, said with the pollution of the water bodies in the area, their source of water and other means of livelihood had been affected.

Also, some natives of the area, Mr. Timi Koripamo, and Mrs. Gradeone Nikki, who spoke in native Ijaw language, said they have always been on the receiving end of crude oil exploitation and exploration activities, calling for proper clean up and compensation.

Paramount ruler of Ogboinbiri community, Chief Okosughe Eseimokumo, stated that the previous oil spill has not been cleaned up, and no relief materials given to the affected communities, warning that with the ongoing pollution, there would be a challenge to food security in the area.

Deputy Executive Director of the Environmental Defenders Network, Chief Alagoa Morris, who visited the spill site for on the spot assessment called on Oando and other multinationals to put an end to frequent oil spills by replacing ageing pipelines and other infrastructure.

Recently, the House of Representatives Committee on Environment had issued a 7-day ultimatum to Oando and AITEO Chief Executives to appear before it in connection to the worsening environmental degradation in oil producing communities, particularly in Southern Ijaw LGA of Bayelsa State owing to their operations in the area.

The management of Oando Plc is yet to reply to an email sent to them for a response about the oil spill.