Livelihoods, ecosystem threatened as oil spill pollutes Bayelsa communities

Farmlands, crops and river channels are said to be polluted in Imiringi Community in Ogbia LGA of Bayelsa State due to the oil spill from a facility operated by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC).

The spill, which occurred at Otokopiri bush in the community, has already destroyed crops, leaving the fates of farmers and other residents further aggravated amidst the biting economy in the country.

Also, the residents of Imiringi and Otuasega communities living around Kolo Creek have lamented the loss of livelihoods as the spill has polluted the creek, which they used for fishing, and the rising water level from the creek due to rainy season which has made the spill spread faster into farmlands, killing arable crops.

Locals living around Otokopiri bush told Daily Trust that the spill occurred on July 26, at a facility operated by a multinational oil company, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), and was suspected to have been caused by third-party interference in the facility.

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A community source, who does not want to be named, told Daily Trust that the oil spill at Otokopiri bush is negatively impacting crops, grasses and shrubs up to 40 meters away from the site.

He stated that there seemed to be a pipe fitted onto a ruptured spot by the suspected saboteurs who were unable to adequately control the makeshift construction, thereby resulting in the spill.

The youth president of Imiringi community, Mr Joseph Afagha, and a resident, Mr Ayens Afagha, appealed to the Ministry of Environment, National Oil Spill Detection Response Agency (NOSDRA) and other relevant agencies to quickly come to their rescue.

According to them, though a joint investigation visit had been carried out by the authorities, there is need to quickly clean up the spill.

The Chairman of Ogbia Local Government, Hon. Golden Jeremiah, who visited the spill site, also raised serious concerns about the preservation of the environment and ecosystem in the affected area.

He said the Kolo Creek oilfield operated by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), stated that the spill has sparked fears about the long-term effects on the ecosystem and the potential harm to local wildlife.

The Ogbia LG chairman, in a statement by issued by the Press Secretary, Rev. Afagha Ranami, expressed concern about the potential impact on the environment and local communities, calling on Shell to expedite action in cleaning up the spill site and restoring the vegetation.

He urged the company to mobilise its cleaning contractor to the site immediately to mitigate the damage.

He said: “The Kolo Creek oilfield is a sensitive environmental area, and any damage could have far-reaching consequences for people and environment.

“The Ogbia local government is committed to protecting the environment and ensuring that Shell takes responsibility for the spill, that is why I urge the citizens to help protect critical infrastructure against vandals; that is why it is important to involve the community in preventing such incidents and securing pipelines and other infrastructures.

“I also call on Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) to increase its surveillance and mobilise local personnel for adequate security of its pipelines within the Kolo Creek oilfield and around Ogbia LGA. This move aims to prevent future incidents and ensure that the company takes proactive measures to protect its infrastructure.

“The oil spill at Kolo Creek oil field serves as a stark reminder of the importance of environmental preservation and responsible corporate practices. So, cleaning up the spill site by SPDC must be done immediately to ensure the environment is protected and restored,” he said.

The people of the area also appealed to the SPDC, the state and federal governments as wells as the National Oil Spill Detection Response Agency (NOSDRA) to ensure proper cleanup of the spill to restore the ecosystem.

Also, an environmental advocacy group, Environmental Defenders Network, has called for proper cleanup of the spill site to forestall possible spread to other communities in the area.

The deputy director of the group, Chief Alagoa Morris, who visited the spill site, urged the relevant authorities to see to the proper cleanup of the impacted area, considering the possibility of spread as the rains intensify and flood level rises, to free the environment of toxic crude oil.

Chief Morris, who called on all stakeholders to work towards preventing third-party spills, condemned the act and urged that the perpetrators be fished out and prosecuted.

When contacted, SPDC management confirmed the oil spill, ascribing it to third party interference.

An official at the Corporate Communications department of the company, Mr Emeka Chinke, while responding to an inquiry from Daily Trust reporter, said the incident resulted in 3 barrels of spilled oil which has now been recovered by SPDC.

He said: “ The report of the Joint Investigation of the incident led by the Government Regulator, National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), found that the incident was caused by illegal third-party activity. Meanwhile, cleanup, remediation and repair of the breached pipeline are ongoing.”