National Telescope national telescope newspaper
By Ekpenyong Emmanuel
A catastrophic oil spill from a crude oil pipeline owned by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has devastated multiple communities in the Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State, leaving destruction and despair in its path.
The spill, which occurred on November 23, 2024, at Iloma Community, has rapidly spread to nearby areas, including Epelema, Orupiri, Ayaminima, Minima, Oloma, and Oguede, among others.
Eyewitness accounts reveal that the spill has obliterated the local environment, contaminating creeks, rivers, and aquatic life while crippling livelihoods. Residents of Iloma Community have been evacuated due to the spill saturating roofs, farmlands, and gardens, creating a dangerous inflammable environment that could ignite with any spark.
Marine commuters in the region have been forced to reduce their speed to almost zero nautical miles to prevent engine sparks that could ignite the oil-soaked waters. Meanwhile, residents of affected areas have resorted to scooping crude oil from the polluted rivers and creeks.
Sources at the spill site noted a flange attached to the pipeline, located at latitude 4.447338° and longitude 7.192392°, raising concerns about possible sabotage. While some NNPCL workers blamed third-party interference, Valentine Hart, a community member, challenged the claim, suggesting NNPCL maintenance workers may bear responsibility, as they had worked on the pipeline before the incident.
Hart demanded a transparent Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) and warned against attempts to cover up the spill, stating that the affected communities would resist any such actions.
Sotonye Allison, Director of Pollution for the Bonny Youth Federation (BYF), described the spill as “massive” and urged authorities to implement immediate containment measures and provide urgent intervention in the affected communities.
Arnold Hart, Youth Leader of Iloma Community, lamented the loss of his people’s livelihoods, stating they could no longer fish or farm due to the overwhelming presence of crude oil on their lands and waterways.
John Abbey, a resident of Epelema Community, recounted hearing a loud explosion on the evening of November 23, followed by splashes of crude oil reaching heights comparable to a communications mast. He added that the spill has grounded the community’s economic activities and appealed to the government and NNPCL for immediate assistance.
An environmental stakeholder, who chose to remain anonymous, called for the arrest of NNPCL workers present at the site, emphasizing that the flange found on the pipeline indicated suspicious activity. The stakeholder also urged NNPCL to activate prompt containment strategies.
Omoni Pepple, Secretary of the Jack-Manilla Pepple Chieftaincy House of Bonny Kingdom, expressed his distress, stating, “Our seafood is gone,” and appealed to authorities to provide relief for Oguede and other severely affected communities.
Currently, maritime activities in Iloma, Ayaminima, Epelema, Minima, Orupiri, Oloma, Burukiri, Polokiri, Oguede, and surrounding areas are significantly hindered. The water bodies are at high risk of inflammation from even the slightest ignition, posing an ongoing threat to the lives and livelihoods of the affected communities.
