Attributing spillages to ‘sabotage’ has become a major tactic oil companies employ to shield themselves from culpability when oil spillages occur in host communities, an official of a non-profit organisation, Spaces for Change, has said.
The group in a statement by its Executive Director, Victoria Ibezim-Ohaeri condemned the reported oil spillages at Shell Petroleum Development Plc (SPDC) facility at Agbura-Otuokpoti community of Bayelsa State, and another spillage at the Chevron Abiteye flow station located in Benikrukru community in Delta State.
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She said the recent spillages in Delta State, have affected over 15 communities, have resulted in thick crude oil slick flowing at a high speed and spreading to the nearby communities.
“Locals are living in constant fear of a fire outbreak in addition to other devastating effects of the spillages on their communities.
“The Joint Investigating Team consisting of officials of SPDC, National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), security agencies, Bayelsa State Government and community representatives eventually visited the SPDC facility in the Agbura-Otuokpoti community and was able to contain the spillages to prevent further spread.”
“While the investigation was ongoing to determine the cause and impact of the spillages, SPDC announced that there was an anonymous note found at the spill site, thereby suggesting sabotage. Out of the 23 oil spillages reported by SPDC from January to March 2021 across the Niger Delta region, 20 of them were attributed to sabotage, while only three were reportedly caused by operational failures,” she noted.
