Niger Delta

NGO, Firm Partner On Environmental Safety In N’Delta

Published

4 years ago

May 30, 2022

A non-governmental organisation, Stakeholders Alliance for Corporate Accountability (SACA), the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) and governmental institutions have re-emphasized the need for safe and healthy environment in the oil-rich Niger Delta region.
The Tide gathered this at the inauguration ceremony of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and hiuman Rights (UNGP-P2R) programme, which was held by the SACA in conjunction with NAOC, in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa state capital.
In his keynote address, the Executive Director of SACA, Mr Kingsley Ozegbe, decried the spate of oil spills in the Niger Delta region, emphasizing that the danger it portends on the environment and human life is worrisome.
He noted that following SACA’s quest in curbing the hazards related to oil spills, it had gone into partnership with the oil firm(NAOC), towards finding lasting solutions through campaigns against oil spillages in the Niger Delta region.
Ozegbe said as a result of the NGO’s willingness to take the campaign against oil spills and the resultant hazards on the Environment and human life to the nooks and crannies of the Niger Delta region, SACA and NAOC intend to carry on the project for a three year period, saying the first phase of the partnership was to refocus the attention of the Niger Delta Communities on Agricutural businesses, especially on cash crops production.
The SACA boss hinted that about 70 Communities would be engaged in the first phase of the programme, noting that it promises to be beneficial to all, including the unborn generations.
“Today’s gathering marks another great effort towards addressing a common problem that is facing humanity in this region.
“This project was jointly conceived in April, 2020 by our organization (SACA), and the NAOC, to contribute to the implemention of Ruggie Principles under the leadership of the United Nations Business and Human rights Working Group (UNGP).
“We’ve structured the project on the tripod of the UNGP framework that seek to protect, respect and remedy human rights breaches. The project is published in the website of the office of United nations High Commissioner for human rights.
“It is framed to be implemented through multi-stakeholders and non-violent approaches. Partnering organizations include agencies, commissions, security architecture of the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Bayelsa State Government, international research institutes, financial institutions, civil society organizations and the media”, he said.
The Executive Director who decried the heightening risk associated with oil and gas activities in the Niger Delta region, also restated that over 40 organizations would be working with SACA at different times towsrds bringing the needed outcomes that would ultimately change the narratives of oil spills across the Niger Delta region.
He stressed that due to the environmental hazards of spills and other problems linked to oil and gas in the region, investments were diminishing in the Niger Delta yearly.
“Currently, the risk associated with oil and gas activities in the Niger Delta region are heightening and investment climate is dimming.
“The oil spillages into the environment is becoming very alarming, thus, it calls for stronger teamwork to safeguard humanity and improve the environment so as to attract investors in order to create opportunities to absorb the working population that is surging on daily basis”, the SACA boss added.
Speaking with newsmen shortly after the programme, the Bayelsa State Commissioners of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Chief David Alagoa, and his Environment counterpart, Iselema Gbaranbiri, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Mr Martin Waripamo and Director, Agricutural Services, Dr. Okoya Ebasi, respectively, commended SACA and the oil firm for the programme, promising that the State Government was ready to continue partnering the NGO in their awareness and enlightenment projects across the State.
Giving an overview of the expected benefits of the three UNGP-P2R Committees inaugurated, the SACA Executive Director stated that the Agricutural Management committee (AMC), would function to increase cash crop production, increase food production,increase aquaculture production, and also Increase value-addition.
The EMC, on its part, is to increase awareness to the hazards associated with human exposure to crude oil pollution and its impact on human rights, improve understanding of gatekeepers to sustain advocacy against oil pollution in Communities, sustain access to better health, clean water and sanitation by right holders, etc.
The NGO also noted that the expected benefits of the HRD would include improved awareness of laws and human rights instruments that binds state, organized arm groups, individuals, security personel and actors on armed conflict in 24 Communities, reduce restiveness and willful damage of oil facilities in Communities and to sustain access of entitlement through right-handed approach, as well as to strengthen knowledge of the human rights due diligence/alternative dispute resolution syst, SACA peace building process, and the NAOC grievance mechanisms, in Communities, amongst others.
High points of the programme were the inaugurations of the Environmental Management Committee (EMC), the Agricutural Management Committee (AMC), as well as the Human rigthts due deligence Committee (HRD), respectively, while participants were drawn from both the public and private sectors.
The Tide reports that the NGO and SACA are funded by Misean Cara of the Republic of Ireland.

By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa

Niger Delta

CSOs, Bille Community Urge Solution To Persistent Underwater Gas Eruption

Published

2 weeks ago

April 10, 2026

The Tide

Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and the people of Bille Kingdom in Degema Local Government Area (LGA) of Rivers State have called for government’s urgent intervention to end the suspected underwater gas eruption in the community.

The groups, under the aegis of the Environmental Rights Action and Social Action, made the call during their advocacy visit to the Port Harcourt Zonal Head of the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), in Port Harcourt.

The Programme Manager of Environmental Rights Action, Mr. Kentebe Ebiaridor, said the visit was to seek clarity on the response efforts of the regulators to the development in the community.

Ebiaridor expressed concern over what he described as “inadequate response from regulatory agencies and the government concerning the incident”.

He said discussions with some officials revealed that there was still no clear timeline for action to address the situation.

According to him, in the absence of clear ownership of the facility linked to the incident, companies operating within Oil Mining Lease (OML) 18 should be held accountable.

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) had in a statement issued on March 20 by its Chief Executive, Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, said the commission had commenced an investigation into a gas bubbling incident in Bille Community.

Eyesan said the commission expressed concern over the development and assured residents of its ongoing efforts to address the situation.

Also, the Resource Justice Manager of Social Action, Dr. Prince Edegbuo, warned that the situation could escalate into a public health emergency, if urgent steps were not taken.

Edegbuo called on relevant authorities to release the results of the tests reportedly conducted in the area, stressing that residents had the right to know the condition of their environment.

He also said CSOs were prepared to intensify advocacy on the matter, urging the development of emergency response measures, including possible evacuation plans.

A legal practitioner and community stakeholder, Mr. Commission Deinbo, had, on March 20, said residents had continued to witness unusual signs on the waterways in the area.

Deinbo said the signs included boiling and bubbling from the ground and river, sometimes within residential areas, as well as fire outbreaks, which the residents had always managed to contain.

He appealed to relevant authorities to come to their aid and find a lasting solution to the problem.

In a response, the Port Harcourt Zonal Head of NOSDRA, Mr. Bello Augustin, assured the community that he would relate its concerns to the appropriate quarters.

Augustin also commended the CSOs for their advocacy and concerns to community development in the state.

By: Wokoma Emmanuel & Theresa Frederick

Niger Delta

Police Detain 7, Recover Arms In A’Ibom

Published

2 weeks ago

April 10, 2026

The Tide

The Police Command in Akwa Ibom State has detained seven suspects and recovered firearms after raiding a criminal hideout in Ndiya Mfia, Ikono Local Government Area.of the State.

The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John, made the disclosure in a statement in Uyo on Wednesday.

John said that the breakthrough which occurred at about 6.00a.m on Wednesday, followed credible intelligence from members of the public.

“We reliably gathered that criminal suspects were hibernating in a compound disguised as worshippers.

“In a decisive operation, our personnel conducted a thorough search of the premises which led to the detention and recovery of arms,” she said.

According to her, the operation was in line with the directive of the Inspector-General of Police to decisively combat crime in the country.

The police spokesman further said that two locally made double-barrel guns, five expended cartridges, four motorcycles and three generators were recovered during the operation.

She also listed 10 mobile phones, one police crest, four jungle boots, one peak cap, saw blade, spanner, number plates, machetes, a special force vest as other items recovered.

“We also found bottles of suspected spiritual oil and one enlarged photograph linked to an ongoing investigation,” she said.

John said that preliminary investigation suggested that the location was being used as cover for criminal operations.

She said the State’s Commissioner of Police, CP Baba Azare, has directed a comprehensive investigation on the matter in order to apprehend the principal suspect.

John expressed the commitment of the Command to rid the state of crime, and urged members of the public to always support the police with timely and credible information.

Niger Delta

Otu Launches Grassroot Security Network In C’River

Published

2 weeks ago

April 10, 2026

The Tide

Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu, has launched a grassroots security intelligence network, named, ”Homeland Safety and Security Agency,” to strengthen community-based surveillance and enhance safety across the state.

Otu, who inaugurated the agency’s office in the Southern Senatorial District of the state on Monday, in Calabar, said similar offices were being inaugurated in the Central and Northern Senatorial Districts.

The Governor, represented by his Chief of Staff, Mr. Emmanuel Ironbar, said the officials of the agency would serve as first point of call before matters would be escalated to main security architecture in the state.

He described Homeland Security as an intelligence-driven structure focused on neighbourhood monitoring and early threat detection through coordinated local efforts.

He said the initiative constituted the directors and field operatives, tasked with gathering and forwarding intelligence to relevant security agencies for prompt action.

Otu noted that the network would serve as a first point of contact before intervention by conventional security agencies.

“It is important that we enhance monitoring of movements across our communities, border areas, and riverine zones to identify suspicious activities and enhance security response.

“The state government will provide necessary gadgets and communication tools to improve efficiency and real-time intelligence sharing,” he said.

Otu called for public cooperation, stressing that ‘’security is a collective responsibility requiring timely information from residents.’’

He said, ‘’to ensure that the security outfit works like a model unit, proper screening would be conducted on the volunteers to weed out undesirable elements from the system.’’

The Tide’s source reports that the Governor handed over 14 motor bikes to the agency’s southern Senatorial district office to enhance their efficiency.

On his part, the Director-General, South of the agency, Mr. Michael Nsan, said the volunteers had played key roles in reducing crime through coordinated patrols and intelligence sharing.

Nsan said over 1,300 volunteers currently supported the operations with additional informants providing critical information across communities.

“Crime rates dropped significantly during the last festive period due to our collaboration with law enforcement agencies in the state,” he said.

The Director-General said volunteers would undergo training and screening, with plans underway for formal recruitment through a government employment portal.

According to him, communication tools, including walkie-talkies, and patrol motorcycles had improved rapid response to security incidents.

He commended the governor’s commitment, noting that the initiative would further strengthen security architecture and community safety across the state.

The source reports that some of the dignitaries who graced the occasion were traditional rulers and government officials.