Bayelsa community, environmentalists lament fresh oil spills from SPDC facility

Indigenes of Peremabiri community in the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State and Environmentalists have decried the impact of the fresh oil spills from the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria, SPDC, on the livelihood of the people of the area.

Newspot, gathered that the leak which occurred from the Diebu Creek Flow station operated by SPDC in Peremabiri discharged a yet-to-be-ascertained volume of crude oil to adjourning areas of the community and the Nun River.

Mrs. Yenimi Timipre, an impacted farmer also bemoaned having her fishing gear stained by crude and rendered useless.

Also, the Deputy Woman Leader of Peremabiri Community, Mrs Favour Morgan, lamented that the spill has destroyed fishing nets, traps and crops as well as polluted the whole aquatic environment.

“This oil spill has thrown the Peremabiri people into despair, we are into farming and fishing as our means of livelihood and the toxic oil from Shell’s oil field has damaged our sources of livelihood.

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“We are helpless and in dire need of intervention by way of relief and succour to farmers and fishermen,” Morgan said.

The people of the community also appealed to all tiers of government to prevail on SPDC to immediately clean up the oil spill site

Mr Alagoa Morris, Programme Manager, Environmental Right Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) in a reaction noted that the oil leak had polluted the ecosystem.

He said the resultant pollution from the oil spill has adversely affected the predominantly farming and fishing settlements along the banks of River Nun.

Morris, who is also the Technical Adviser to the Bayelsa Governor on Environment, commended the peaceful disposition of the victims.

He urged the regulatory agencies to ensure that SPDC immediately carries out the required clean-up process to save indigenes of Peremabiri Community from economic and health challenges.

In their reaction, SPDC confirmed the Oct. 3 oil spill from its facilities at the Peremabiri community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa.

Mr Michael Adande, a Spokesperson for SPDC, said on Friday that a Joint Investigative Visit, JIV, to the incident site to unravel the cause and volume of oil discharged was underway.

Adande said: “A government-led Joint Investigation Team, including operator and community representatives, is currently on a Joint Investigation Visit to the site of the incident to determine the cause and the impact of the incident,”.

“JIV is a statutory probe comprising representatives of the operator, host community and regulatory agencies that generate a report to show the cause, extent of pollution after every spill is reported”