According to a recent report, a new crude oil spill has occurred in the Bodo village in Rivers State’s Gokana Council (Ogoniland). This came after the previous four oil leaks from Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited’s Trans Niger Pipeline, which took place between August 2 and September 12, 2022. The most recent spill is thought to have been the direct outcome of equipment failure, according to local youth and the Environmental Advocacy Center (YEAC-Nigeria).
Fyneface Dumnamene, the YEAC executive director, said in a statement that the spill was found on October 16, near the Julius Berger construction site on Bodo-Bonny Road. He bemoaned the detrimental effects of the spills on the ecology, health, and way of life of the populace, who are primarily farmers and whose means of subsistence have frequently been ruined by oil spills. “YEAC-Nigeria condemns the spill-rain as well as the most recent oil spill in the Bodo community, when issues related to earlier spills are still unresolved,” Fyneface added.
An Independent investigation should be launched by the Federal Government.
“We continue calls for Shell and its joint-venture partners to replace the over-aged Trans-Niger Delta pipeline in the Ogoni area, which is currently bursting and inflating like balloons and causing environmental destruction.” Fyneface further requested that the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) arrange a Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) to the new leak site in order to ascertain the cause of the spill and provide adequate compensation to the affected community.
In order to prevent the extinction of the Bodo people due to ongoing environmental and ecosystem poisoning, he continued, “YEAC-Nigeria called on the Federal Government and the joint-venture partners to launch an independent investigation into the Bodo community’s ongoing oil spills and the report used to stop further spills.” Shell, meanwhile, has maintained that sabotage is to blame for the spills. The incident was described as a liquid discharge by Idris Musa, director-general of NOSDRA, who also said that a Joint Investigative Visit (JIV) had begun. It releases liquid. It occurred on a 28-inch Trans-Niger pipeline and is a mixture of leftover oil and water.
A proper clean-up should be done in the affected areas.
Ogoni Liberation Initiative (OLI), President Dr. Douglas Fabeke stated that “ravaging and resurfacing spill in Bodo community which has affected the residential areas of the community with dwellers asked to evacuate to mitigate the associated risks, including probable fire outbreak is a strong vindication of our continued agitation and demand for a comprehensive cleanup of Ogoni land and the decommissioning of the decayed facilities of the SPDC.” Dr. Fabeke expressed her displeasure with SPDC and HYPREP’s alleged failure to issue a statement, put out the spills, and start a proper remediation of the affected site and compensation for the people of Bodo in accordance with international best practices after the spill occurred in order to stop its spread.
We claim that the subsequent incident on August 24, 2022, would not have happened if the spill on August 2, 2022, had been stopped right away. In order to stop a fire from starting and the loss of life and property, Fabeke urged the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) to immediately assist the Bodo people and cover the spill. Additionally, he warned Bodo community inhabitants against scooping any crude oil because it is extremely combustible and could set off huge explosions within the neighborhood.
It was not an oil leak rather; it was a liquid release.
People were calmed down, and JIV officially began on Thursday. It was a liquid release, not an oil leak, according to Musa. He added that the pipelines aren’t producing because of ‘oil theft,’ and reiterated that “the cause of the liquid release would be made public by Saturday when the JIV was finalized.” One of SPDC’s insiders said that although the pipeline was not currently in operation, it was being cleaned frequently ‘to make sure it is alright,’ and that SPDC had warned other oil companies that “you cannot guarantee what you will get” due to oil theft.
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