Residents of Rivers community flee over fresh oil spill

• Shell to discuss with community regarding impact

Residents of Rumuoduwere Community, in Elelenwo Clan, Obio-Akpor Local Council of Rivers State are fleeing their homes due to a fresh oil spill allegedly caused by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC).

The community claimed that the spill, which started on Wednesday, was from a ruptured aged pipeline belonging to SPDC.

Although the cause of the spill is yet to be officially ascertained, the community is convinced that it is due to the aged pipeline.

Speaking to newsmen on the site of the spill shortly after an inspection, the paramount ruler of Oduwere, Eze Kenneth Ndamati-Otto, described the oil spill as unfortunate, saying that SPDC had neglected the community to the environmental disaster.

Ndamati-Otto, who lamented that underground water and farmlands in the community had been affected, called on the state and the Federal Government to come to their aid in restoring their livelihood.

He said: “This spill has damaged underground water; all our boreholes here are out of use. People have been drilling boreholes every day. If you drill 150 feet today, tomorrow you will drill 200 feet. Every time, people change their boreholes because of the impact of what Shell is doing here, and they don’t care to know how the community feels.

“We call on the Rivers State Government and the Federal Government to warn Shell to stop spilling oil in our land; we can no longer farm in that area.

MEANWHILE, SPDC has said it is expecting to conclude discussions with the Rumuoduwere Community in Elelenwo Clan, Obio-Akpor Council of Rivers State, regarding the impact of the spill in the coming weeks.

An opinion leader, Dr. Martin Enwuka, highlighted the spill’s negative impact on health, contaminating drinking water and damaging farm produce. He alleged that SPDC has failed to provide employment, scholarships, or incentives to the community since it arrived in 1957.

The community demands immediate action from Shell and the government to address the environmental disaster and restore their livelihood.

But Shell, in a statement, said it had successfully contained the oil spill.

According to the Media Relations Manager for Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited (SNEPCo), Gladys Afam-Anadu, the leak was reported on August 21, prompting an immediate halt of production and deployment of an Oil Spill Response team.

She stated that a Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) was conducted, repairs have been completed, and production is now back online.

Also, she noted that discussions with the affected community are ongoing, with a conclusion expected in the coming weeks regarding compensation for the spill’s impact.