An elderly man was confirmed dead from gas inhalation as a sizeable oil and gas spillage from the NPDC/ELCREST joint venture pipeline inundated Tsekelewu-Polobubo communities in Warri North local council, Delta State.
According to the locals, the spill started in the early hours of Sunday and is still spreading in several adjoining Ijaw communities disrupting normal living in affected areas.
The president of the Polobubo Bloc of Communities, Paul Toruwei, explained that in the early hours of Sunday, March 14, 2021 the major pipeline transporting crude oil from the Opuama flow station in Oil Mining Lease (OML40) ruptured resulting in the spillage of oil in all water bodies and swamp forest of the communities in the firms’ operational area including Opuama, Polobubo and their satellite communities.
He disclosed that the incident had thrown residents into sorrow and anguish as numerous persons were already hospitalized, and caused the death of an elderly man identified as Pa Anthony Ebiogbo from the Opuama community who lost his life due to gas inhalation arising from the oil spillage in the early hours of Monday.
“Economic activities have been grounded: as a matter of fact, throughout Sunday, March 14, 2021 residents couldn’t cook their food due to fear of fire outbreak as a result of gas exudates from the pipeline, that enveloped the whole vicinity,” Toruwei said.
A senior official of the NPDC said he had no idea of the incident saying the joint venture partners would respond as soon as they’re able to investigate the development.
Meanwhile, the affected communities appealed to the Minister of State for Petroleum, Chief Timipri Slyva, and Gov Ifeanyi Okowa, NNPC GMD, to prevail on the management of NPDC/ELCREST to take drastic action to contain further spread of the spillage and to provide medical care, food, water, and other necessities to the affected people to save the lives of the resident who have been denied their source of livelihood.
They equally called on the NOSDRA, DPR, and Ministry of Environment to activate a joint investigation to ascertain the cause of spillage and to send relief materials immediately, and make arrangements to compensate the affected communities.
