The people of Oporoza, Okpele-Ama/Tebujor, Ikpokpo, Opuedebubo, Opuede, Atanba, Ogbotu, Okerenkokogbene, Gan-Ama Zion, Kala-Ikpokpo, and Maike-Ama communities in Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State, have cried out over an oil spillage from the Nigerian Pipelines and Storage Company Limited (NPSC)/NNPC Escravos to Warri crude oil trunkline.

According to the communities’ solicitors, Eric K. Omare, in a protest letter, the spillage occurred on August 10, 2024, at Atanba in Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State and has caused massive damage to their lands, waterways, fishing materials, drinking water, and aquatic lives.

They stated that on noticing the massive oil spillage, members of Our Clients’ communities promptly reported the incident to the NPSC/NNPC pipeline surveillance workers around the facility on Monday, the 11thday of August, 2024 at their Houseboat at Ubafan, near Escravos and demanded for Joint Investigation Visit (JIV).

The solicitors alleged that the NPSC/NNPC failed to report the spillage to the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) and instead mobilized its pipeline contractor to repair the spill point without a JIV.

“Our Clients’ state that contrary to the established internationally acceptable standard in the oil and gas industry, your company has failed/refused and neglected to report the spillage to the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) to carry out a Joint Investigation Visit to the site of the spillage to ascertain the cause of the spillage and take necessary steps.

“It is our Clients’ further brief that instead of carrying out JIV with the relevant stakeholders as required by law, the NPSC/NNPC mobilised its pipeline contractor, Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited to the site to commenced repair of the spill point without a JIV.

They disclosed that because of the fast-moving river current around the point of the spillage, the spillage has affected several communities and people resident within the communities and other neighbouring communities within the Gbaramatu Kingdom who are suffering from the effects of the spillage up till this moment.

“We urge the NPSC/NNPC and relevant authorities to conduct a Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) to ascertain the cause of the spillage and take necessary steps,” Omare said in the latter.

The communities demand urgent clean-up and remediation, provision of relief materials, assessment of damage, and fair compensation.”

The protest letter was written by the counsel on behest of accredited representatives of the communities namely Messrs Godwin Fibade, Lucky Bebenimibo, Elisah Odudu, Theophilus Emotimide, Mackson Ode, Jonathan Micah, Christopher Mala, Shadrach Tangbe, SufficientKpefe, Profit Omula and Precious Racce, andaddressed to the Group Managing Director (GMD), Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), the Director General, National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), the Zonal Head, NOSDRA, Warri, Delta State, the Area Manager, Nigeria Pipeline Storage Company Limited (NPSC), Ekpan, as well as the Zonal Director, Delta State Ministry of Environment, Warri.

It reads: "The spillage has caused colossal damages to our lands, waterways, fishing materials, drinking water, and aquatic lives.”

“We demand a Joint Investigation Visit comprising officials of NOSDRA, NPSC/NNPC, and affected community representatives.

“The NPSC/NNPC should provide relief materials to the people of the affected communities and assess the extent of damage.