The business atmosphere is charged as over 300 fishermen are left stranded and farmlands destroyed following an oil spill in Aleto community in the Eleme Local Govern­ment Area of Rivers State.

The victims said the river Is a major source of their livelihood for about 300 registered fishermen in the area.

They narrated that the spill was first noticed since on Sunday and has been flowing into the River ever since without any effort to contain it, adding that some villagers have fled their communities because of the bad smell caused by the spill.

The fishermen expressed anger that their source of livelihood has been destroyed, noting that they can no longer cater for their families.

One of the victims simply identified as Wuwu said he has been fishing in the River for over ten years, saying, “On Monday, I came to check my net, but I saw that the River was black and spoiled. I couldn’t even find my net.

“There were no fish because the water is very bad (polluted). I don’t know where to start from because this is the only thing I have been doing to take care of my family.

“If there is anything the company (Shell) can do to help us let them do. But they should clean this place first.”

Another fisherman said, “Some of my brothers and I around 11a.m on Monday, when we came to check, we saw that the River was cov­ered with crude oil. Our net and the boat we used in fishing have been damaged by the crude oil.”

Speaking to newsmen, a surveillance officer representing the Pipeline Infrastructure, Osaro Prosperous, said the ordour from the spill poses a potential health hazard.

“As you are here now you are perceiving the smell of the petroleum products which is very hazardous to human health. We want this oil spill to stop immediately because this has been happening.

“A similar thing occurred here last year. Shell or the NNPC must take proper mea­sure to stop this thing once and for all.”

The Chairman of Eleme Local Government Area, Obari-Ollormate Ollor, who visited the site of the spill said preliminary observation showed that the incident was caused by equipment failure.

While accusing Shell of insensitivity since the inci­dent occurred, Ollor said the people will await the oil giant to visit the facility so that the Eleme people are not accused of sabotage, even as he called for calm from the youths.

“We have discussed on the telephone with the people who are managers of their pipeline in Shell. They are not here yet. However, when they come for this visit it will be ascertained by them. We will look at it together and agree on a document that this is what has happened here. Our people are aggrieved as I speak to you.

“The youths are angry. Those who would have gone for fishing today are all stranded. They don’t have anything to do, you can see they are all hanging around because fishing is what they do to survive.”

Continuing, the LG chair­man said, “All the activities that go on around this River have been halted because of this pollution. It is a great loss and a bad day for the Eleme people.

“But as a government rep­resentative I will calm frayed nerves to make sure that ev­erybody cooperates with the company because it was not a planned incident.

When contacted, a spokes­man of SPDC, Michael Adan­de, said the cause of the spill had not been ascertained, saying, “As we speak a Joint Investigation Visit to the area led by the government is on.

“Once that is ready, we will know what caused it and how to go from there.” (Daily Independent)