Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Nigerian Air Force, NAF, has denied allegations linking its operations to the explosion at the NNPCL wellhead in Agum-Bukuma, Asari-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State, stating that its activities were not responsible for the incident.
Recall that SweetCrude Reports had reported a catastrophic oil spill and fire from a wellhead owned by a yet-to-be-identified operator, although the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL has a joint venture stake in every upstream operation.
The spill, which reportedly began more than five weeks ago in Agum-Bukuma, a border between Asari Toru and Degema Local Government Area, had escalated into an environmental crisis, with a massive fire outbreak burning for nine consecutive days, even up to the time of filing this report.
Although the cause of the spills and subsequent fire is yet to be ascertained, locals had alleged that the inferno began nine days ago when the Nigerian Air Force helicopter began air-striking illegal refining sites in the area and accidentally bombed the wellhead.
But the Nigerian Airforce has denied causing the fire explosion, claiming that the explosion was unrelated to its activities, and urged media organizations to verify facts before reporting.
The Nigerian Airforce in a statement by Air Vice Marshal Olusola Akinboyewa, Director of Public Relations and Information, described the claims as “false and unfounded.”
According to the Nigerian Airforce, video evidence from previous missions confirmed that the said wellhead had been leaking crude oil for a prolonged period due to illegal activities in the area.
“This led to an accumulation of gas and flammable liquids, which likely caused the fire. High-definition footage captured during a December 2024 mission showed the wellhead spilling oil and a barge already burnt before NAF’s arrival.
“The wellhead had been leaking crude oil due to prolonged illegal activities in the area. Video recordings from previous missions confirm that the wellhead had been leaking for an extended period, resulting in the accumulation of gas and flammable liquids in the surrounding environment.
“High-definition video recordings from the NAF platform, including footage from December 2024, clearly show the wellhead spilling oil and the barge already burnt before it arrived at the location,” the Nigerian Airforce clarified.
“The onboard camera system ensures transparency and accountability by capturing and documenting all activities, eliminating any possibility of indiscriminate firing at civilians or destroying assets,” Akinboyewa added.
NAF also emphasized its commitment to protecting critical infrastructure while prioritizing the safety of civilians during operations, maintaining that its missions target only illegal refining sites and equipment as part of efforts to combat crude oil theft in the region.
“We ensure due diligence before engaging any target, so that only illegal refining sites and equipment are destroyed. The safety of innocent civilians and the protection of critical infrastructure remain a top priority for the Service.”
The NAF reassured the public of its professionalism and called on stakeholders to rely on verified information regarding its operations.
Meanwhile, community leaders and rights groups have decried the lack of response from the federal government, NNPCL, the wellhead operator, and other relevant regulatory agencies more than a week after the fire outbreak.
This is because the National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency, NOSDRA, has yet to conduct the statutory joint investigation visit to the incident site, as the agency claims to be working on identifying the operator of the leaking wellhead through laboratory analysis.
According to Emmanuel Kejeh, Special Assistant on Media to NOSDRA’s Director-General, Chukwuemeka Woke, the agency would conduct laboratory tests on crude oil samples from the incident to determine the company responsible for the leaking facility.
“There are so many oil facilities in that creek, and until the lab test is done, we can’t ascertain who owns the facility,” Kejeh told SweetCrude Reports.
The oil spill and fire have been classified as a “mystery spill,” a term used to describe leaks from unidentified sources in areas where multiple oil companies operate. The vicinity in Degema hosts several oil firms, including Shell Nigeria, Eroton, Asharami, among others.
