Massive oil spill from a pipeline belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) at the weekend, ruptured at Iloma community in Bonny local government area of Rivers State.
Our correspondent gathered that the spill, which occurred as a result of leakage from the ruptured pipeline, has devastated the Iloma community and other neighbouring communities in the riverine local government area.
It was learnt that the spill, which occurred at about 7.00pm on Saturday, November 23, 2024 at Iloma community has spread quickly around surrounding communities as it was conveyed by the heavy current in the creeks and rivers.
The communities affected are Iloma, Epelema, Orupiri, Ayaminima, Minima, Oloma, and Oguede, amongst several others, which environment including creeks, rivers and rivulets, aquatic life, and means of livelihood have been destroyed.
It was gathered that the residents of Iloma Community had to be evacuated as the spills splashed on their roofs, farmlands, gardens, and the general environment, rendering the community an inflammatory risk should any form of fire ignition, especially cooking, occur there.
Checks by our correspondent showed massive volumes of crude oil in the creeks, rivers and rivulets with marine commuters having to sail very slowly at almost zero nautical mile to avoid any sparks from their engine that could ignite the already drenched environment.
Residents of the various affected communities were also seen scooping the crude oil from the rivers and creeks.
At the site of the incident, which is at latitude 4.447338⁰ and latitude 7.192392⁰, a flange could be seen attached to the pipeline, which some of the NNPCL maintenance workers on site said was the handiwork of third-party individuals.
But a member of the community, Valentine Hart, in an interview with journalists, however, countered the claim, instead asserted that the NNPCL maintenance workers were suspect in the incident as they had worked on the pipeline before now when it had issues.
He called for a transparent joint investigation visit (JIV) to the affected sites, warning that any attempt to muddle up the investigation with a view to sweeping the incident under the carpet will be resisted by the communities affected.
On his part, the director of Pollution in the Bonny Youth Federation (BYF), Sotonye Allison said the devastation caused by the oil spill was massive, calling on the authorities to immediately carry out containment measures and urgent intervention in the communities affected.
Also, in an interview, the Youth leader of the Iloma Community, Arnold Hart, lamented that the various means of livelihood of his people have now been destroyed as they could no longer fish or farm due to the massive volumes of crude oil on their land and water.
Also, a member of Epelema Community, John Abbey told journalists that residents heard a loud explosion on the evening of Saturday, November 23, 2024 and subsequently heavy and sustained splashes of crude oil as high as a communications mast all over the community, followed by massive volumes of crude oil in the creeks.
He regretted that the community is grounded as their various means of livelihood are all gone with the intense amounts of crude oil both in the water and on their lands, calling on the government and the NNPCL to quickly come to their aid.
An environmental stakeholder, who preferred anonymity, called for the arrest of the NNPCL workers found at the site of the incident, pointing out that a flange on the pipeline was already a clear indicator of suspicious activity on their part, urging the NNPCL to activate containment measures immediately.
As it is, maritime activities around Iloma, Ayaminima, Epelema, Minima, Orupiri, Oloma, Burukiri, Polokiri, Oguede and several other communities in that axis will be greatly reduced as the water bodies around them are currently at risk of inflammation at the slightest hint of fire either from plug sparks or any other ignition.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) was yet to make any comment on the incident.
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