Polobubo-Tsekelewu community in Warri North Council, Delta State, yesterday, alleged saline pollution of their water and ecosystem by oil firms operating in the community.

The community spoke at an event commemorating World Environment Month (June) to draw the attention of federal and state governments to their predicament.

The leaders accused Chevron, Shell and NPDC of polluting their erstwhile fresh water by opening up their water bodies to the Atlantic Ocean in the process of oil exploration, thereby allowing saline to contaminate the water.

The President-General, Polobubo-Tsekelewu Community Development Association, Dr. Bright Abulu, who spoke on behalf of the community leaders at the event, said: “Polobubo, originally a fresh water environment with fresh water ecosystems, has been replaced by salt water environment due to the exploration and exploitation of crude oil by companies operating in Polobubo-Tsekelewu community and sister communities. It will interest you to know that Polobubo-Tsekelewu community is host to Chevron Nigeria Limited, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Nigeria Petroleum Development Company/Elcrest Nigeria limited JV (NPDC/ElCrest), Conoil Producing Nigeria Limited and Sahara Energy Services Limited.

These companies have contributed to the devastation, pollution and destruction of our ecosystems and brought Polobubo-Tsekelewu community to its pitiable environmental condition.”

The community demanded the cleaning, remediation and reparation of the environment, land reclamation and shoreline protection, canalisation and dredging of Opuama-Tsekelewu creeks, among others, by the oil firms,

Speakers at the event tagged, “Only One Earth, Only One Homeland, Polobubo,” included Ibiba Don Pedro, publisher of The Point newspaper; Chief Tiemo Anthony; Rev. T.D. Clement; Mr. Christmas Akugha.