Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — Pipelines host communities in Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South-West Local Government Area, Delta State, have issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Nigerian Pipelines and Storage Company Limited, NPSC, a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPC, over crude oil spills.
The communities are demanding compensation for damages caused by an August 10, 2024 oil spill from the company’s Warri-to-Escravos pipeline.
The communities, comprising Oporoza, Okpele-Ama/Tebujor, Ikpokpo, Opuedebubo, Opuede, Atamba, Ogbotu, Okerenkokogbene, Gan-Ama Zion, Kala-Ikpokpo, Meike-Ama, Fia-Fia Zion, and Oturu-Ebagbene, have threatened to stage protests at NPSC’s corporate and operational offices if their demands are not met within the stipulated timeframe.
In a letter addressed to the Managing Director of NPSC and signed by community representatives through their solicitor, Eric Omare, the communities demanded the conclusion of a Joint Investigation Visit, payment of compensation for damages, and cleanup of the polluted environment.
Omare highlighted that earlier letters were sent to NPSC on August 21 and October 15, 2024, requesting a JIV, compensation, and cleanup.
He noted that despite these efforts, NPSC has “refused, neglected, or failed” to take the required actions.
“Officials of your company on 2nd September and 18th November 2024, together with representatives of the National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency, NOSDRA, visited the site of the spillage. However, a conclusion could not be reached because of the unpreparedness of your company to open up the point of spillage as agreed by all the parties concerned,” the letter stated.
“Arising from these visits, an appeal was made to the community representatives to allow the process of the JIV and subsequent steps, including payment of compensation and cleanup, to be concluded within the shortest possible time, not exceeding seven days,” Omare stated. “However, more than a month after these visits, your company has failed to act,” Omare stated.
The communities’ letter further warned, “Take notice that should you fail to yield to this demand within the stipulated period, we shall resort to all available means to ensure that our demands are met, including staging protests at your corporate and operational offices.
“The spill, which occurred on August 10, 2024, at Atamba Community, has caused significant damage to farmlands and livelihoods in the affected communities. Representatives of the communities have been engaging with the company and relevant regulatory agencies to resolve the issue amicably but are frustrated by the slow pace of progress,” he said.
The letter was copied to various stakeholders, including the Commander of the Joint Task Force in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State; the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Environment; the Delta State Commissioners for Oil and Gas and Environment; the State Commissioner of Police; and heads of local security agencies and NOSDRA.
It was signed by community representatives, including Godwin Fibade (Oporoza), Lucky Bebenimibo (Okpele-Ama/Tebujor), Elisha Odudu (Ikpokpo), Theophilus Emotimide (Opuedebubo), and others, underscoring the collective resolve of the host communities.
The ultimatum, the letter described as a last resort, reflects the communities’ determination to hold NPSC accountable, warning that failure to meet the demands could disrupt oil and gas operations in the region.
