Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — A fresh crude oil spill has occurred on the Okordia-Rumuekpe axis of the Trans Niger Pipeline right of way operated by Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited in Ikata community, Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre, YEAC-Nigeria, confirmed the incident in a statement issued in Port Harcourt by its Executive Director, Dr. Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface.
According to the organisation, the spill became noticeable last Friday and was promptly reported to the Centre by its members under the One Million Youth Volunteers Network of Human Rights Defenders and Promoters in the Niger Delta, as well as the Crude Oil Spill Alert System, COSAS, in Ikata community.
YEAC said the spillage, which the cause is yet to be ascertained pending a joint investigative visit, was recorded on the company’s 14-inch Okordia-Rumuekpe pipeline.
“This is the second spill on the same pipeline right of way in Ikata community within three months, following a spillage confirmed and reported by the organisation in a statement on May 5, 2025,” the statement recalled.
The group also noted that the latest incident comes less than three weeks after another spill occurred in Kpean community, Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State. That spill, reported on August 6th, was later confirmed by the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency, NOSDRA, to be due to equipment failure.
YEAC expressed concern over the frequency of spills in Rivers communities and called on the relevant regulators to step in.
“The Advocacy Centre thus calls on NOSDRA to carry out a joint investigation visit, JIV, to this new oil spill site in Ikata community to determine the actual cause of the spillage and invoke the relevant sections of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021, to hold the alleged perpetrators accountable,” the statement added.
YEAC-Nigeria maintained that urgent investigation and enforcement were necessary to forestall further environmental degradation and protect communities dependent on the environment for livelihood.
