The Niger Delta persists as one of the most polluted regions globally due to recurrent oil spills that have become a regular occurrence in various locations.
In June 2023, Aleto and Eteo communities in Eleme Local Government of Rivers State experienced devastating oil spills, severely impacting farming and fishing activities. Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) and Oilwatch Nigeria members conducted an on-site assessment on August 23, 2023, to gauge the response and potential cleanup progress. Unfortunately, the environment remained in a dismal state.
While some efforts were underway at Aleto, no action had been taken for the Eteo community. Residents of Eteo expressed concern that the polluting company, NPDC, had not conducted a Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) to determine the cause and extent of the damage caused.
At Aleto, where a JIV had taken place, community members were frustrated by the delay in releasing the report. Nnimmo Bassey, Executive Director of HOMEF, expressed disappointment that oil companies were neglecting the decommissioning of outdated infrastructure and the maintenance of their facilities. He noted that rather than remediating the harm, these companies were investing in expanding areas of concern.
Bassey highlighted the regrettable lack of response and meaningful interaction between the companies and affected communities two months after the spills occurred. The situation was especially disheartening for the community women who now lacked clean water sources and were unable to process their staple crop, cassava, due to stream pollution. Bassey criticized the insensitivity of polluters and regulatory agencies, which was exacerbating the work of agencies like HYPREP that were striving to address pollution.
During the site visits, Celestine Akpobari, coordinator of Peoples Advancement Centre (PAC) and Oilwatch Nigeria member, called on NOSDRA and relevant government agencies to take prompt action and provide relief to the affected population. Akpobari emphasized the gravity of spills like the one in Eteo, which occurred near human habitation and severely impacted the community's water source.
In the face of these challenges, the community's paramount ruler, His Royal Highness Emere Emmanuel T. Akobe, expressed dismay at NPDC's attitude. The community had alerted the National Assembly, yet received no response. The youth in the community, like Gift Nwagbalor, lamented the lack of attention from NOSDRA and the inability to fish in the contaminated waters.
The polluted conditions were confirmed during a visit to the spill site, and community leaders noted NPDC's nocturnal pipe clamp without subsequent cleanup efforts.
HOMEF emphasized that both Aleto and Eteo communities, as well as the entire Niger Delta, should not be treated as expendable or sacrificed zones for profit-driven ventures. They called for greater proactivity from NOSDRA in addressing oil spills, while polluting companies were urged to cease pollution activities, remediate spills, and compensate affected individuals and communities.
The CSOs also demanded the decommissioning of aging pipelines and facilities in alignment with UNEP recommendations for the Ogoni environment assessment.
