By Obiabin Onukwugha
Suspected third party interference have been linked to a fresh oil spill that occured on a Shell pipeline in Imiringi Community, Ogbia local government area of Bayelsa State.
NatureNews gathered that the spill location which is at the Otokopri family bush, occured on Monday July 29, 2024.
A field report released by the Environmental Defenders Network (EDEN), Deputy Executive Director, Morris Alagoa, said the alarm on the spill was raised by residents of Otuasega community, also in Ogbia local government area of the state.
Community sources account suspect a third party interference as hose were seen in the spill site.
Youth President of Imiringi community, Joseph Afagha, stated that the news of the spill came to the people as a surpriise and appealed to the company, NOSDRA and the Bayelsa State Ministry of Environment to take urgent steps in cleaning the spill so as to prevent further damage to the environment.
“As a family, we are appealing to both the Bayelsa State Ministry of Environment, National Oil Spill Detection Response Agency [NOSDRA] and other relevant agencies to quickly come into our rescue because we believe that with the way this oil spill [crude oil] is on the environment; our farmlands, crops and ecosystem has been impacted. If they don’t quickly come and intervene, more damage would be done to our crops, soil and the entire ecosystem,” he said.
The report quoted another member of the Otokopri landlord family, Ayens Afagha of saying that a JIV has already been conducted even though the exercise was strange to him.
According to Ayens Daniel Afagha ‘’I am from Otokopri family in Imiringi community. We came here few days ago when we were told that this [oil spill] incident has happened. Two days ago, the Shell personnel, the Ministry of Environment and other persons came. They came, including the security and some documents were signed in that regard.
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Actually the incident happened on our family land so I represented the Otokopri family. I signed on behalf of Otokopri family. I told them that I have never done this or experienced it before and so I may not be able to attest to the fact whether it was sabotage or not. However, Shell and the security personnel said it was sabotage. So I supported their view that it was sabotage. The other persons from Ministry of Environment and NOSDRA also signed,” ha said, but added that he was not given a copy of the signed document.
EDEN in its report observed that there were footprints of an animal suspected to be African civet moving towards the spill impacted environment along the Federal sand filled road, but few meters to the crude oil impacted section of the road; the footprints of the animal indicated it turned back and headed to where it proceeded from earlier. It said this clearly showed how inimical crude oil is to the environment and animals [terrestrial and aquatic] react to toxicity and in this case; crude oil.
“Looking at the spill point and impacted environment on both sides of the Federal Road cleared and sand filled traversing the environment; it would be logical to conclude that the incident was third party interference. The impacted environment also revealed that the crude oil from the broached point sprayed with overwhelming pressure; as it sprayed into the air and impacted plants [grasses, shrubs and crops] about 40 meters away. It suggested that the ruptured spot was fitted with a hose or pipe that the saboteurs were unable to adequately control. Third party interference with oil facilities for whatever reasons should be condemned; it is unacceptable.
“If JIV was actually conducted and cause of spill concluded; it means such conclusion was arrived at without excavating the spill point. EDEN deduced this from the spill point, as during the two times visit, there were no marks of swamp buggy in the environment. At the spill point, however, a pipe [maybe part of the oil bearing ruptured pipeline] was visibly cut and protruding above the water and crude oil level. And because nothing indicated the crude oil was still spewing at the spill point; it means Shell has stopped the flow of crude oil on that pipeline from source owing to the incident.
“On what appeared to be gutter on both sides of the sand filled road; heavy presence of crude oil on water was observed. Grasses, shrubs, plantain and trees touched/soiled by the crude oil were either dead or at different stages of dying and wilting and this would have been worst if it was dry season. The only signs that facilities owners must have taken some action after the incident are the fact that the source of crude oil must have been shut and, booms observed in the gutter section having crude oil on water ostensibly to contain the spill. It is, however, known that while booms may prevent crude oil from spreading on the surface of water; soluble elements of crude oil cannot be prevented from chemically reacting with water and affecting the fauna and flora within the environment of interest and beyond.
“This is also why there is need for prompt cleanup; especially as the volume of water in the environment would increase as the rains falls. When JIV takes record of scope of spread and impacted environment; delayed cleanup would make that record useless as the spilled crude oil would spread far beyond the scope influenced by other environmental factors,” the report read in part.
EDEN recommended among other things that the relevant agencies and stakeholders carry out an urgent cleanup of the impacted environment, considering the possibility of crude oil spread as the rains intensify and flood level rises and to free the environment of toxic crude oil and make it safe for the flora and fauna.
“Shell, Bayelsa State Ministry of Environment, National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency [NOSDRA] should ensure the impacted environment is promptly cleaned up.
“Imiringi community, especially the Otokopri family should follow up and ensure the needful is done by Shell and regulatory agencies and, where necessary get across to Environmental safety advocacy groups or the media for further push for the needful in the common interest.
“All stakeholders should work towards preventing third party spills, condemn and get identified perpetrators prosecuted,” the report added.
