Hundreds of people resident in Kalaba, and otter communities within the Okordia and Zarama clans in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State that use Kolo Creak water as source of livelihood may be facing danger, if something is not done within the next few days.
This is as a result of underwater gas leakage from an oil field belonging to Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC), at Kalaba community in Kolo Creek.
Kolo Creek is a major oil field that connects Orashi and Nembe rivers in both Rivers and Bayelsa states.
Already, a non-governmental organisation, Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN), has raised alarm over the negative impact of the leakage on the affected communities.
A field report signed by Head of Field Operation at ERA/FoEN, Mr Morris Alagoa, made available to Journalists in Yenagoa, showed that the incident occurred at the weekend.
The report stated that the gas leakage is coming from an underwater gas pipeline beneath Taylor Creek at Kalaba community.
The NGO noted that the gas was leaking at high pressure, causing giant bubbles on the Taylor Creek, which serves as the sole source of water to the communities.
The report quoted the Paramount Ruler of Kalaba community as also confirming the incident.
“What we are seeing is the bubbling of gas; leaking from the pipe of NOAC. This was discovered in the early hours of Saturday.
“I got to hear about it first when some children were shouting that oil was bubbling and that there was a leakage.
“As a trained field monitor, I also came around to see what was happening in the environment; whether what I heard was true. When I pulled down here by canoe, I discovered that it was true, gas was actually bubbling.
“Incidentally, this creek is our only source of drinking water, and where we carry out almost all domestic activities. And right now, the water is polluted.
“What I did then, as a monitor of the environment; was to promptly inform the Environmental Rights Action because, that is the organization we know that has been helping us to reach out to Agip whenever such things happen,” the report said.
The NGO advised the oil firm to immediately deploy to the site, shut the source of the gas leak to forestall further pollution of the environment and exposure of residents to toxic associated gas.
ERA/FoEN also urged the management of Agip to convene a Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) to unravel the cause of the leak.
Efforts to get reactions from NAOC officials were unsuccessful, as requests for comments sent to the oil firm’s Media Relations Manager, Mr Cotalini Fillipo, were yet to be responded to as at press time.

Fyneface Aaron, Yenagoa