Uduegbunam ChukwujamaThe February 2022 oil spill at Lasukugbene community in Southern Ijaw area of Bayelsa State has been a major concern to environmentalists, including HOMEF and the Environmental Rights Action (ERA).
The spill occurred following a burst of pipelines belonging to Agip.
Environmentalists, who visited the community at least twice since the spill occurred said delay in responding to such environmental threats is the ‘‘usual style of the Nigerian oil industry, as the spill has sadly been unattended to up till date.’’
In an exchange with Prime Business Africa, HOMEF said: ‘‘Sadly, no Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) has been officially carried out by the relevant authorities.
Lasukugbene community plays host to manifold pipelines and oil wells belonging to Agip Oil Company which has been operating in the community since 1974.
”It is same old story and nothing has been done to alleviate the sufferings of the community people.’’
Lasukugnene, a predominately fishing community, has no hospital or health care facilities and relies mostly on local herbs for treatment of their ailments. They lack all basic social amenities.
HOMEF’s team in collaboration with ERA had visited the community on March 19, 2022, ‘‘to ascertain the level of damage and figure out what must be done.
‘The people lamented that the oil has destroyed their rivers and lands. The river, which is their only source of potable water and their crops have been contaminated by the oil spill. Some community members described their ordeal and expressed sadness over Agip’s negligence and government’s failure to regulate better and to bring succor their way.
“Since morning I have been on the water for fish and all I could get is this small catch of fingerlings. My nets are all soaked with oil. I cannot use them again for fishing. We are calling on Agip and the government to come to our aid to stop the problem we are facing in the community,” lamented Betty, a community woman.
The community secretary, Mr. Valiant Jackson, revealed that the spill which was discovered on February 3, 2022 had occurred over a month earlier.
“Yesterday, March 18, Agip sent their team to clamp the erupted pipeline without informing the community leadership or contacting anyone from the community.
‘‘When we saw them and approached them to find out what they were doing , Agip accepted that the spill was actually caused by equipment failure, saying that they were doing their best to ensure that the spill was contained.
‘‘Since the operation of Agip in the community, the only thing Agip has provided for the community is a water tank that is not working. We have no hospital, except for a small healthcare facility built by the local government. The equipment in the health centre was bought by the community and the only staff in the health center comes only once in a while, usually during statewide immunization campaigns,.” Jackson said.
Another community woman, Josephine Tarilla, stated: “We are suffering. There are no standard healthcare facilities, water, school or light. We can no longer fish in our rivers, and the oil spill has destroyed all our fishing tools and nets. We call on Agip and the government to come to our aid. We are suffering as a result of the oil spill from the Agip pipeline which passes through our community. We need help and relief materials to reduce our sufferings. Since the spill occurred, almost two months now, we observe that there are rashes all over our bodies when we use the water from the river to bathe. We do not have alternative source of water. The spill is killing us here!”
Cadmus Atake-Enade the project lead Fossil Politics of Health of Mother Earth Foundation stated that “the spill blanketed the community’s river and swamps. It was an absolutely disheartening and scary sight. I wonder if there is hope for the common Niger Delta man.
‘‘Communities in this region are suffering daily, there should be an immediate health and environmental audit of this place and the clean-up process should begin. It would be recalled that on 24th of February 2021, a similar spill occurred in Ogboibide community in Southern Ijaw where an Agip pipeline at OML63 had a gas leak and the company could only clamp the leakage site after much waste of time.”
Prime Business Africa reports that the spill site is by the community fishing camp. HOMEF Director Nnimo Bassey said the organisation demands ‘‘immediate clamping of the leakage on the pipelines and replacement of all rusted pipelines in the areas.’’
HOMEF also calls for a man health audit in the area, and the entire Niger Delta as well as payment of adequate compensations for harms suffered.
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