Group Laments Impact Of Oil Spills In Bayelsa Community

The Environmental Rights Action/ Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) has called on Nigerian Agip Oil Company [NAOC] to replace the Riser 15a section of the 21’’ pipeline in Ogoda/Brass, that continues to pollute Fantuo/Egenkiri and neighboring communities with repeated oil spills since 2019.
The Tide source confirmed that the most recent oil spill occurred on 2nd of July, 2023
ERA/FoEN made the call following a Save Our Souls from the people of Fantuo about a serious oil spill at an Agip pipeline located at Egenkiri, near Fantuo.
Accompanied by the Community Development Chairman (CDC) of Fantuo community, ERA/ FoEN and a team of media representatives who visited the site of the oil spill at the Egenkiri 3 and 4 fishing settlements where Agip’s Riser 15a is situated in the middle of a creek, which appeared to be the company’s Right Of Way [ROW], in Fantuo territory.
Egenkiri 3 and 4 are two fishing settlements situated within the same environment separated by the creek and the oil facility is located in the middle.
These two fishing camps The Tide learnt have an estimated population of 150 persons. Fisher folks in the camps are not only from the Nembe [Ijaw] ethnic group, but other Ijaws from Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, Ogoni in Rivers State and some from Akwa Ibom State.
The incessant oil spills around the area have disrupted fishing activities around the fishing camps, depriving the people of their source of livelihood, coupled with the health and environmental consequences of such repeated spills, endangering the existence of the fisher folks.
Speaking on the incident, Youth President of the fishing settlement, Godman Inimi lamented over the unending suffering that the people of Egenkiri have suffered due to the numerous oil spillages around the area.
”The oil has polluted the rivers and made fishing less productive. Due to the prevailing situation we hardly make ends meet and hence Agip should come to our aid by giving us relief materials and compensate us [for losses]. We can’t even sleep well at night when the wind brings the pungent smell of the crude oil. It is very disturbing, health wise’’.
Also speaking on the issue, a resident of the community, Barida Nimbofa [an Ogoni lady] while responding to questions on the incident said the people are having severe health challenges due to the chemical particles in the waters and air space of the community.
“I am staying here at the Pipeline 3 fishing camp. This crude oil spill, its odour is worrying us. The spill has destroyed our fishing materials; our nets. We see dead fishes floating as a result of the crude oil and, this has chased away fish from the environment.
“Our fishing activities are now very unproductive. So it is difficult to survive”, she said.