Group Seeks Govt Intervention In Abereke Ocean Surge, Oil Spill

A group, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), has called on the federal and the Ondo State governments to urgently address the escalating environmental and humanitarian crisis in Abereke, Ilaje local government area of Ondo State, where repeated oil spills and ocean surges have ravaged livelihoods and submerged large portions of the community.

In a statement issued by its media and communication officer, Robert Egbe, CAPPA described the situation in Abereke as “devastating and rapidly worsening,” noting that residents were grappling with severe environmental degradation and deepening economic distress.

“Abereke is in the throes of a preventable disaste. What we saw is a community abandoned to the impacts of corporate irresponsibility and government inaction. This cannot continue,” said associate director at CAPPA, Martins Ogunlade,

The organisation said the most recent oil spill allegedly linked to indigenous operator Guarantee Petroleum Company occurred in October 2025, yet its destructive effects remain widespread.

According to CAPPA, water bodies have been heavily contaminated, killing aquatic life and destroying fishing nets, boats, and engines. Domestic animals have also died, worsening the hardship of residents whose main source of income, fishing has been crippled.

CAPPA further warned that intensified coastal erosion and tidal surges have swallowed large swathes of land, leaving the community dangerously exposed.

“The economic foundation of Abereke is collapsing. Families can barely fish, animals are dying, and even clean water now comes at a price. This is a glaring case of environmental injustice,” Ogunlade added.

The group also highlighted the collapse of vital infrastructure, including the only primary school in the area, which has been washed away by tidal waves cutting off children’s access to education. With no healthcare facility, residents have been left to rely on local remedies for survival.

Despite multiple appeals, letters, and complaints by the community to state authorities, CAPPA said there has been little response from either the government or the oil companies operating in the region.

“Communities like Abereke continue to bear the burden of extractive activities from which they derive no benefit. The silence and inaction of both government and corporations are unacceptable,” the statement said.

CAPPA called for immediate government action, including a comprehensive environmental impact assessment, clean-up of polluted sites, construction of coastal protection structures,

compensation for affected residents, restoration of livelihoods and rebuilding of key infrastructure, including schools.

The organisation noted that oil pollution remains a persistent problem across Ilaje, with communities repeatedly accusing oil companies including Agip, Shell, Chevron, and Guarantee Petroleum Company of contributing to the region’s severe ecological degradation.