Oil spill emanating from
a pipeline belonging to Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) has impacted farmlands and aquatic lives in some communities in Ogbia and Yenagoa Local Council Areas of Bayelsa State.
According to reports from the area, parts of the Yenagoa River, Ekole Creek and adjoining rivulets criss-crossing the communities namely Azikoro, Agbura, in Yenagoa LGA, and Otuokpoti, Otuogidi and Otuogori in Ogbia LGA, were seriously affected.
Community sources said the leakage started two weeks  when it was within an area it could have been contained but the Italian oil giant refused to addressed the incident.
Crude oil sheen from the spillage measuring about five centimeters thick have been floating on the surface of the water, attracting residents who troop out to scoop the substance.
One of the residents of Otuokpoti community, Cecilia Osain, said the spillage had negatively affected fishing activities in the river.
She said those who went fishing returned home with no catch as the stench of the spilled crude oil had driven fishes, crayfish and shrimps among others away.
Osain, who also scooped the crude, said bathing in the river is no longer safe for residents as those who did complained of itching all over their bodies, adding that the community relies on the creek for drinking water and domestic use.
Meanwhile, the leadership of Otuokpoti community has appealed to the Bayelsa State government to provide relief materials to ameliorate the suffering of the people.
In a letter signed by the paramount ruler, Cousin Wongo, and the Community Development Committee chairman, Simpson Isikpi, the community stated that the spillage had polluted the entire river.
It complained that the incident had negatively affected the economic life of the people as the river serves as a major source of income to members of the community.
“We cannot drink water. We cannot bathe in the river, our aquatic life such  as fish and animals are dying. We appeal to the relevant authorities to come to our aid”, the letter read in part.
It therefore called for the immediate cleanup of the river to enable the people resume fishing activities.

Also, the Ogbia Brotherhood, a socio-cultural organisation for the people of Ogbia, has called on Agip to deploy a team of its technical personnel to ascertain the cause of the leak.

Lamawal Wilfred, spokesman of the group, urged the oil company to prevent further pollution of the river which serves as their major source of water.

Efforts to get the reaction of NAOC proved abortive as its officials including Filippo Cotalinni, Media Relations Manager at Eni, parent company of NAOC, did not respond to enquiries at press time.

Fyneface Aaron, Yenagoa