The fire outbreak at the Cawthorne Channel 1 flow station, off the coast of Bonny Island in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State has wreaked havoc in adjoining communities.
It was gathered that the worst hit by the disaster are the people of Iloamatoru, whose livelihood and environment have been badly impacted.
Sources said that the fire outbreak occurred on February 19, 2025, following a loud explosion at the flow station, resulting in a huge fire that razed boats, fishing nets and other accessories used by the people of the community for fishing.
Residents of the community said the explosion, and fire led to a massive oil spill, with crude oil visibly flowing across the waterways, and spreading into creeks, rivers and rivulets, further complicating the environmental crisis
An eyewitnesses said “the environmental degradation was evident, with the harsh stench of crude oil filling the air, causing nausea and an overwhelming sense of distress.”
The fire outbreak is linked to the NNPCL facility at Alakiri in Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State, earlier affected by the fire outbreak.
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The oil firm according to locals had initially brought relief materials as part of a remediation package, but the community rejected them, claiming that the relief materials were inadequate, compared to the scale of destruction.
However, one of the leaders of the Iloamatoru Community and former Chairman of the community’s Surveillance Committee, Daniel Pollyn, confirmed that discussions were ongoing between the affected communities, and representatives of the NNPCL.
He said the representatives of the oil firm, promised to get back to the community after the initial disagreement
“We are now waiting for them to return after the damage impact verification, which is scheduled to take place between Tuesday (today), and Wednesday.
“We expect them to start the necessary environmental restoration immediately after the verification because the devastation is immense, the fishermen, periwinkle harvesters, and other small businesses have all been severely affected,” Pollyn.
As at the time of filing this report, the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) had yet to react to the incident.
