Bayelsa community laments as fire guts Agip’s spill site

Residents of Okpotuwari and Ondewari in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State have appealed to the federal government and relevant authorities to prevail on the Nigeria Agip Oil Company to properly clean up an oil spill site in the area. 

They alleged that the site was set ablaze by a contracting firm working for the company. 

Community leaders and landlords also alleged that rather than properly cleaning up the impacted area, the contractor resorted to burning the site in a bid to cover up the spill which occurred in July 2021 at the Okpotuwari section of the Ogboinbiri-Tebidaba flow line. 

During a visit to the area, Niger Delta Trust observed that several swamps, fish ponds, raffia palms and other economic trees as well as large expanse of farmlands are affected by the fire. 

The people of the two sister communities of Okpotuwari and Ondewari, explained that the crude oil spill at the Okpotuwari section of the Ogboinbiri-Tebidaba flow line operated by Nigeria Agip Oil Company started in July this year and has raged on since then. 

According to them, the Company sent contractors to the community who rather than use the standard method in cleaning up the impacted site resorted to the use of an unorthodox system of burning the spill site on November 17, 2021. 

Paramount ruler of Okpotuwari Community, Chief Tiger Moses, alleged that Agip initially came for clamping without their knowledge after which the contractors burnt the forest. 

Also, the acting Paramount Ruler of Ondewari, Chief Robert Ikisa, noted that with the source of livelihood of the people destroyed, there is need for the provision of relief materials to cushion the hardship they now face. 

Some of the custodians of the affected forest land including 64 year old Madam Domotimi  Yeiye, the Youth President of Ondewari community, Mr. Golio Captain and the Deputy Chief of the community, Joel Keikei all stated that the burning of the spill site which has spread to other parts of the community had affected them adversely. 

Head of the Bayelsa Office of the Environmental Rights Action, Mr. Alagoa Morris, frowns at the practice of multinational oil companies setting spill sites on fire in the guise of clean up, urging regulatory agencies to live up to their  responsibility of ensuring best practices. 

Officials of the Nigeria Agip Oil Company are yet to react to inquiries on the incident, the spokesperson for Agip, said he was checking on the claims by the people of the affected communities.