The Health of Mother Earth Foundation and other environment groups have raised the alarm over renewed oil pollution in the Ogoni area of Rivers State.
The environmentalists were reacting to the May 6 rupture on the Trans Niger Pipeline owned by Renaissance Energy, successor to the SPDC which impacted B- Dere community in Gokana Local Government Area, Rivers State.
A statement issued on Friday, by Miss Kome Odhomor, Media/Communications Lead at HOMEF, noted that a visit by environmental groups s to the spill sites on the Trans Niger Pipeline in Ogoni met distressed indigenes of the communities.
According to Odhomor, residents of the the impacted community, expressed a high level of danger and a sense of exposure to toxic hydtocarbons and abandonment.
Odhomor noted that the leader of the community, Chief Mrs Augustina Biebie, stated that the level of restlessness in the community has only worsened.
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“The spill brought crude oil into houses of many of our people. The thick smell of crude oil has affected our health.
“Breathing has become a problem, and it has become difficult to even feed because some of us cannot light fires in our kitchens,” she said
Executive Director of HOMEF, Nnimmo Bassey expressed disappointment over the level of neglect of the communities.
“We are in a disaster zone and further disasters can erupt from even an accidental spark of fire. The slow response of government and oil companies underscores the lack of care for the people and the environment. This level of laxity is absolutely unconscionable.
“The fact that this spill that happened a week ago is yet to be stopped sends a very strong point to why government should focus on cleaning up Ogoniland and not seek to open new oil wells.
“The old wells should be shut down, and decommissioned. Our communities must not continue to be sacrificed on the altar of petrodollars,” Bassey said.
He also called on all relevant authorities to move into action to curtail the spread of the flowing crude.
“The government cannot be silent at a time as this. This is a time when all agencies should be here to stop the leak by shutting down the pipeline, stop the pollution and carry out urgent clean up and remediation.
“We call on NOSDRA, NESRA, MENA and HYPREP to move into swift action to stem the unfolding ecological and human crises,” he added.
It would be recalled that on May 6, the Trans Niger Pipeline ruptured and triggered streams of crude oil flowing through B-Dere community in Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers.
The cause of the explosion is said to be equipment failure.
A similar explosion occurred in the Bodo community on March 17, 2025, which caused a massive fire that spread through the mangroves.
The incident also contributed to the declaration of state of emergency in Rivers State.
These spills show very clearly the massive risks the communities will be exposed to if the desire of the federal government to resume oil extraction in Ogoniland happens.
Many of the B-Dere community people have been internally displaced, while those already impacted by the spill are living in fear over health and safety issues.
Officials of Renaissance Energy have yet to respond to requests for reaction and update on a joint investigative visit.
