Bayelsa community raises alarm over fresh crude oil spill

By Samuel Oyadongha

Yenagoa—Kalaba community in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State has been devastated by a fresh oil spill, spewing from six points at Nigeria Agip Oil Company facility in the area.

The spill points were reportedly discovered behind the community and on its western axis across the Taylor Creek between February 4 and 16.

Thick crude oil slick flowing at high speed, according to the natives, had covered the surrounding swamps and spreading to the Taylor creek.

Conducting Environmental Rights Agenda, ERA field monitors, led by Mr. Alagoa Morris, round the impacted area, the paramount ruler of the community, Chief Idoniboye Nwalia, expressed concern over the incessant oil spills in the community and its negative impact on the environment.

Oil spill ravages community

Though the paramount ruler explained that officials of the company had, weekend, visited the spill sites, he said: “I don’t know what to say as the spills had continued. Sometimes, we can only guess when we wake up from sleep, we will hear about another fresh spill into the environment.

“To say anything about the spills with confidence is not there anymore. Assuming we really know the source of the problem, then we can go to that point and correct it. So, without knowing the details, we can only guess.

“It is, therefore, a complex issue. Why I am reasoning along that line is that we have land dispute. Either of the communities claiming ownership may have tried to do something funny. Youths too may be striving to get the pipeline surveillance as a means of surviving. Others too may be sabotaging the pipelines because they may feel sidelined during clamping of previous spill points.”