Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — Reactions have begun to trail the recent oil spill in Iloma Community, Bonny Island, as stakeholders, including the Bonny Environmental Consultants Committee, BECC, local community leaders, and environmental experts, have called for urgent action from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, to contain the disaster and mitigate its devastating impact.
The oil spill, which occurred along a pipeline in the Iloma Community at coordinates 4.447338⁰ latitude and 7.192392⁰ longitude, has wreaked havoc on the environment, affecting several surrounding communities.
BECC confirmed that the spill has spread across a wide area, contaminating creeks, rivers, and farmlands, and rendering many areas inaccessible due to the crude oil floating on the water.
Chairman of BECC, Prof Ibitoru Hart, expressed grave concern over the severe environmental damage caused by the spill, noting that large swaths of farmlands, fishing areas, and vital ecosystems have been contaminated.
Hart noted that the spill has also been carried further by tidal movements to even more remote communities such as Greens Iwoama, Banigo Ishileogono, and Polokiri.
BECC called for immediate containment and remediation measures to prevent further damage, as well as the evacuation of Bonny indigenes from the most impacted areas while urging NNPCL to engage with local stakeholders to develop a comprehensive strategy for clean-up efforts and compensation for those affected by the spill.
“BECC has taken note of the impact site and affected sites of the oil spill including the primary area of impact, Iloma Community, and adjoining communities, Minima, Ayaminima, Orupiri, Oloma, Epelema, Oguede, Coconut Estate, Okpoma, and Burukiri, amongst others.
“The spilled crude oil is being engendered by tidal movement to even far-flung communities such as Greens Iwoama, Banigo Ishileogono, Polokiri, Dema Abbey, Macaulay, Oroigwe, Madupolo, Dappa-Posie, Igonipolo, Akiama, George Pepple, Allison Ishileogono, Amalgamated Agbalama, William Jumbo, Otobie, and Abalamabie, amongst others.
“With the oil slick making waterways impassable for fishing activities, the spill has left local communities without their primary means of livelihood,” he stated.
BECC also highlighted the destruction of local vegetation, which is expected to die off soon, and raised alarms about the potential long-term effects on aquatic life, including fish, crabs, and other marine species.
“For instance, Epelema, Iloma, Orupiri, Minima, Ayaminima, and Oguede have now been rendered inaccessible by outboard powered engine boats due to the high volume of crude oil on the water. No fishing activities can also happen in any of those areas.
“BECC is also in the process of checking out the range of aquatic life comprising fishes and other sea foods that have been destroyed due to the spill. These include the tilapia, croaker, mud fish, crabs, reptiles, etc,” Hart added
BECC also criticized NNPCL for its failure to consult with the committee or the affected communities before sending a maintenance team to the spill site, and warned that such actions without prior engagement could escalate tensions and lead to further unrest in the region.
He further stated: “BECC notes with displeasure that the NNPCL either by itself or through its subsidiary would send a maintenance team to Iloma Community without any form of engagement with BECC or the impacted communities. This is a recipe for crisis as it smacks of disregard for Bonny Kingdom, which BECC environmentally represents.
“BECC instantly calls on the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited to activate containment and remedial measures to checkmate further devastation and take responsibility for the evacuation of Bonny indigenes around the impacted areas both immediate and remote.
“BECC further calls on the NNPCL to immediately engage with it to fashion out a strategy plan for containment, clean-up and compensation to the impacted and affected communities.”
In response to the growing concerns, BECC also commended the proactive role of security agencies, including the Nigerian Army’s 146 Battalion and the Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base, for securing the affected sites and preventing further encroachment and exposure to danger.
“BECC commends the security agencies, the 146 Battalion Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base for their proactive initiative of asserting security governance around the impacted sites to forestall further encroachments and exposure to danger,” the committee said.
