The Bonny Environmental Consultants Committee (BECC), has said the recent oil spill that occurred at Iloma community in Bonny local government area of Rivers State, have spread to more communities in the LGA.
This is as it warned residents of the impacted communities in the area not to scoop the spilled crude from the rivers and creeks, pointing out that such a t could be dangerous given the inflammatory nature of crude oil.
The spill, which occurred as a result of leakage from a ruptured pipeline belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) last Saturday, had as at Sunday, spread adjourning communities, including Minima, Ayaminima, Orupiri, Oloma, Epelema, Oguede, Coconut Estate, Okpoma, and Burukiri, amongst others.
But, BECC, in a statement made available to LEADERSHIP in Port Harcourt yesterday, said at the Monday evening, the spilled crude had spread to 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.
The statement, which was signed by the committee’s chairman and secretary, Professor Ibitoru Hart and Sir Amairigha Hart, said it is currently monitoring tidal movements that are conveying the spilled crude oil from the primary impact area to more communities connected to the main creek from Coal Beach, also in Bonny LGA.
It reads in part: “The attention of the Bonny Environmental Consultants Committee (BECC) has been brought to an incident of oil spill on a pipeline along the pipeline right of way at latitude 4.447338⁰ and longitude 7.192392⁰, in Iloma Community and wishes to state as follows:
“The Bonny Environmental Consultants Committee (BECC) hereby confirms that an oil spill has occurred at Iloma Community. 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.
“BECC has taken note of the spread of the spilled crude been 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.
“BECC is currently monitoring tidal movements that are conveying the spilled crude oil from the primary impact area to more communities connected to the main creek from Coal Beach to which the Iloma, Epelema, Minima, and other communities’ creeks connect to.
“BECC has taken note of the several hectares of farmlands, verdant vegetation, fishing areas comprising creeks, rivers, rivulets and waterfronts severely impacted by the spilled crude oil. 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 has also taken cognizance of the forests around the impacted communities that were splashed with crude oil when the pipeline burst open. This vegetation will be dead in a couple of days, just as the soil underneath cannot be cultivated due to pollution.
“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, mudfish, crabs, reptiles, etc.
“BECC has also inspected the pipeline and taken note of the flange on it, the surrounding environment, equipment on site, range of spill, and also spoken to locals on the incident and has reason to believe that the incident was a third party orchestrated incident.
“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 (NNPC) 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 NNPC to immediately engage with it to fashion out a strategy plan for containment, clean-up and compensation to the impacted and affected communities.
“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.
“BECC also calls on the people of Bonny in the various impacted and affected communities to remain calm as measures are being taken to remedy the situation. The leaders of the various communities are called upon to interface with BECC to agree on the engagement plan for the resolution of this unfortunate incident.”
