The Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) confirmed an October 3 oil spill at its Peremabiri flow station in Bayelsa State. This leakage has extensively damaged numerous farmlands and the marine ecosystem. Locals believe equipment failures caused it.
Michael Adande, SPDC’s spokesperson, informed the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) about ongoing investigations. “A government-led team is at the incident’s site,” he said. Their mission? To determine the spill’s cause and its environmental toll.
This team, known as the Joint Investigation Visit (JIV), is a standard procedure. It involves representatives from the operating company, the host community, and regulatory agencies. After every reported spill, they draft a report. This document outlines the cause and the extent of pollution.
Recently, another incident occurred. Just eleven days ago, oil leaked from the Diebu Creek Flow station, also managed by SPDC in Peremabiri. The aftermath? A significant crude oil release spread to nearby community regions and the Nun River.
Alagoa Morris, from Environmental Right Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria, expressed concern. “The spill has tainted our ecosystem,” Morris noted. Furthermore, he highlighted the adversity faced by settlements along the River Nun, mainly farmers and fishermen. Morris, who doubles as the Bayelsa Governor’s Technical Adviser on Environment, commended the community’s calm response. Yet he urged regulatory authorities to act. SPDC should commence cleanup operations promptly, he insisted, to shield residents from looming economic and health hazards.
According to a report by This Day Live, Mrs. Yenimi Timipre, a local farmer, shared her woes. Her fishing gear? Tainted by the crude and now useless. Similarly, Mrs. Favour Morgan, Deputy Woman Leader of Peremabiri, voiced her anguish. She detailed the destruction: ruined fishing nets, traps, and crops. “The spill from Shell’s field has crushed our livelihoods,” Morgan stressed, calling for urgent intervention.
