Indigenes of host communities of the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) whose multi-billion Naira Ebocha Oil Centre exploded about a month ago, are now pointing fingers on the company over what they termed as increasing cases of skin, asthmatic, heart and chest ailments alleged to have been occasioned by the triple blasts at the oil and gas facility.
Natives who spoke with The Tide said that the explosions, which impacted on the environment, and state of health and livelihood had resulted in an upsurge in the number of patients visits to public and private health institutions within and outside the area, and alleged that some lives lost in recent times may be traceable to the devastation caused by the blasts.
A community leader, Mr. Acho Ogbonna, who is also a health worker, explained that one can not rule out the fact that chemical dermatis resulting from the blasts may have been triggered off, while people with pre-existing heart and chest infections are worst hit.
Ogbonna further said that recent health statistics indicate an upsurge in cases that may be connected with environmental hazards, adding that further investigations may prove the extent of impact.
Similarly, a public health expert, Dr. Best Ordinahia, also confirmed that the explosions may have also adversely affected the health of the people, and cautioned that indigenes need to confirm their health status early enough to avoid further complications.
According to him, the huge smoke and flame that emanated from the explosions are gaseous and air-borne, capable of triggering off irritation of the skin, heart and chest diseases.
When The Tide visited some clinics in the area, patients complained of some respiratory complications while others blamed their ill-health on unknown sicknesses, which they considered strange to them.
A patient, Mr. Godknows Nduka, said he had asthma five years ago which had been under control but it recently resurfaced after the explosions.
In the same vein, another patient, who pleaded anonymity, blamed Agip’s management for insensitivity, noting that indigenes had not received any relief from the company almost a month after the explosions.
The Tide, however, gathered that NAOC and representatives of host communities were still negotiating on the issue of relief materials to the affected communities to cushion the effects of the blasts on the people.
It was learnt that the company and the relief materials committee had agreed in principle to send some palliatives to indigenes of the area.

Goodluck Ukwe