By Samuel Oyadongha

Yenagoa—Environmental Defenders Network, EDEN, has decried the frequent oil spills on the Ogboinbiri-Tebebada pipeline along the Ogboibiri-Keme-ebiama communities in the deep swamp of Apoi clan in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State 

EDEN deputy director, Alagoa Morris, in a field report, in Yenagoa, noted with concern that the facility, owned by an indigenous firm, Oando, after its acquisition from the Nigerian Agip Oil Company, NAOC, following the latter’s divestment has recorded eight oil spills between September 2024 and May 2025.

Though both communities have been experiencing oil spills from Agip’s Ogboinbiri/Tebidaba pipeline before Agip divested to Oando in August, 2024, “The frequency of the spill incidents is higher now,” he lamented.

He urged the regulatory agencies at the state and federal levels to act in the interest of the environment, livelihood and health of the people in the affected communities.

He said: “Between September, 2024 and May 16, 2025, eight oil spills have been reported within a short distance and close to the company’s flow station at Ogboinbiri. Out of these eight incidents, EDEN had earlier reported five, out of which four were as a result of equipment failure.”

The report read in part: “Having eight oil spills within this environment in a space of nine months speaks volumes about the facility and integrity, especially when almost all the incidents are attributed to equipment failure.

“The fact that the spill impacted environment is not promptly cleaned up and remediated is of serious concern too as it reeks of lack of responsibility towards environmental safety and sustainability and could be rightly described as environmental terrorism at a time when issues bothering on environmental justice are on the front burner, following submission of the Scientific Report by the Bayelsa Oil and Environment Commission.

“This is a challenge that the regulatory agencies at state and federal levels should contain in the interest of the environment, livelihood and health of our people in affected communities. All legally viable means should be explored to call the company to take responsibility,

“It was also observed that the pipeline right of way is laden with spilled crude oil and, possibly farmlands and swamps on both sides. We are already in the rainy season and the more the rains, more the crude oil will spread further into the farmlands and swamps. As was the incident of November, 2024, the crude oil may spread into Apoi Creek and impact communities downstream.”

The group called on the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency, NOSDRA, Bayelsa State Ministry of Environment, Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC, to take steps to ensure the right things are done, especially Joint Investigation Team, JIT, should visit the spill sites for official JIV report.