More than two weeks after an oil spill occurred in Obololi community in the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, the community says it has been abandoned by the federal government and Shell.
The spill was reported on February 16, 2025, heavily impacting farm lands, fishing gadgets and the Nun River
In the wake of the incident, the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), traced the source of the leak to a 16 inch Nun River-Kolo Creek underwater pipeline operated by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC).
In an interview on Tuesday, Chairman of the Obololi Community Development Committee, Mr. Goodnews Okoi, lamented that the people of the area are suffering from an acute scarcity of drinking water, and expressed fears of an outbreak of water borne diseases.
He said that following the pollution of the Nun River, which the community depended on for drinking water, and for other domestic uses, members of the community have resorted to obtaining water from whatever source for daily use.
“We feel abandoned; this oil spillage has adversely impacted the entire community. We have suspended our fishing vocation as our farmlands, and creeks were also not spared.
“The cost of water has gone up by approximately 100 percent to N50 per sachet, and N800 per bag. The hardship is so much given the general economic hardship.
“Sadly, the operator of the facility has not shown any concern about the sufferings caused by the spill. In fact, what the officials of SPDC tell us is that unless the joint investigative visit that the spill was caused by equipment failure, the SPDC will not act.
“Also, we have been expecting relief from the state government following the visit of the state commissioner for environment.
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“The local government Chairman, Target Segibo, offered to rehabilitate an existing borehole. They started repairs but the submersible pump failed, and they are yet to procure a replacement,” Okoi explained.
He noted that Shell had yet to engage the community on the recommendations by NOSDRA to divert the river to enable access to the leak point.
According to him, the community is apprehensive that creating a dam to divert the river will distort the navigability of the River Nun.
“This recommendation by NOSDRA is of great concerns to us. How will boats that bring goods and merchandise, and essential items come? The SPDC has to factor these concerns, and make their operations have a human face.
“Look at what we have been going through, since the middle of February till date. And the company has not provided any form of support in the face of the impact of the spill,” Okoi said.
