ODIDI — Residents of Odidi, an oil-bearing community in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, have protested a crude oil spill which they said had persisted for six months, calling for urgent intervention by the operating company and relevant government agencies.
The protesters alleged that the prolonged spill had destroyed aquatic life, contaminated waterways and farmlands, and disrupted fishing and other sources of livelihood in the community.
They also expressed fears that the continued presence of crude oil in the area could trigger a fire outbreak, with potentially serious consequences for lives and property.
The community, which hosts oil operations within OML 42, staged a peaceful protest at the company’s operational facility last Friday. The protesters were led by the Community Secretary, Mr Clement Numa, and Public Relations Officer, Comrade Konkemele Michael.
The community alleged that the spill was traced to an aged and corroded section of the Trans-Forcados Pipeline near the crude oil loading point at the Keremor manifold.
According to the protesters, large volumes of crude oil were still entering surrounding waterways, affecting fishing grounds and exposing residents to health and safety risks.
One of the protesters said: “We have lost fish in our waters and plants in our farms. The crude oil has covered our water and spread to our roads. This can ignite a fire.”
Michael described the protest as a warning to the Federal Government, National Assembly and regulatory agencies to intervene before the situation deteriorated.
“This is a warning visit and a peaceful protest for us to send the message across to His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the National Assembly and all regulatory bodies that we will commence drastic action if they do not stop further operations until they curtail the spill,” he said.
He alleged that the pollution had contaminated the community’s waterways, displaced some residents and resulted in the hospitalisation of others.
Michael described the incident as one of the serious oil spills witnessed in the Niger Delta in recent years and alleged that the company had continued normal operations despite the environmental concerns.
He further alleged that efforts by the company to address the situation had focused on distributing relief materials rather than stopping the source of the pollution.
According to him, some residents had started leaving the community because of fears of a fire outbreak, while a local contractor allegedly engaged by the company had been using a wooden boat without making significant progress in containing the spill.
Numa, the community secretary, said residents were increasingly frustrated by the situation, questioning why production activities should continue while crude oil was still being discharged into the environment.
“You cannot continue working when oil is still gushing out. The spill should be curtailed immediately,” he said.
He also referred to the regulatory requirement for oil spills to be reported to the National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) within the prescribed timeframe, stressing that violations could attract sanctions.
Numa said the community needed more than relief materials, insisting that efforts should focus on stopping the source of the spill, restoring the affected environment and protecting residents.
He further alleged that the company was dealing selectively with individuals and groups in the community, claiming that some residents had received food items and money in an attempt to divert attention from the environmental concerns.
“The company is trying to avoid the environmental crime being committed against Odidi people,” Numa alleged.
Residents and community leaders said the prolonged pollution had severely affected fishing, a major source of income and food for households in the riverine community.
They called on the Federal Government, NOSDRA, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the Delta State Government to urgently investigate the incident and commence remediation.
The community also demanded medical intervention for affected residents, an environmental impact assessment, restoration of contaminated waterways and transparent monitoring of the cleanup process.
The protesters maintained that their action was peaceful but warned that continued failure to address the spill could lead to a shutdown of oil operations in the area.
