National Telescope national telescope newspaper
By: Ekpenyong Emmanuel
A devastating oil well fire has ravaged a bunkering site and damaged a facility operated by the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) in Rivers State.
The inferno, which lasted for four days, has sparked widespread condemnation from civil society organizations and local communities.
The fire outbreak occurred at the Bukuma/Buguma flow station in Asari-Toru local government area, following a raid by security agencies to ward off oil thieves.
The resulting oil spill and fire have exposed local residents to hazardous chemicals, threatening their health and livelihoods.
Environmental groups, including the Environmental Defenders Network (EDEN) and Defense for Human Rights and Democracy (DHRD), have lambasted the government and relevant agencies for their slow response to the disaster.
EDEN’s Executive Director, Chima Williams, berated the authorities, saying,
“It is unfortunate that for the people of the localities involved, the year 2025 has started on a bad note with the disruption of the environment that sustains their livelihood.”
The DHRD Chairman, Clifford Christopher, threatened to mobilize mass protests and institute legal action if the government and NNPCL fail to take urgent action to put out the fire and provide compensation to affected communities.
Christopher stated, “The Defense for Human Rights and Democracy is calling on the Federal Government of Nigeria, the NNPCL, the Rivers State government, the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), and all relevant agencies to as a matter of urgency, quickly respond to stop, remediate, restore the environment and pay adequate compensation to the affected communities or face several protests and legal action.”
