By Obiabin Onukwugha
Okpoama and Ikensi communities in Brass and Nembe local government areas of Bayelsa State, have raised an alarm of a suspected underwater crude oil leaks at Oil Mining Lease (OML 29) oilfields.
It was learnt that the oil leak from an underwater pipeline at Ikensi was discovered on Thursday, May 7, 2026 by residents who raised concerns over negative impact of the spill on the environment.
OML 29 is operated by Nembe Explorationwnd Production Ltd formerly Aiteo Eastern Exploration and Production Limited.
One of the community chiefs from Opu Nembe, Chief Clarkson Obiakpa, stated that residents who first detected the leak report that crude oil is actively discharging crude into surrounding waterways with no visible containment or emergency response deployed at the time of reporting, raising immediate fears of widespread ecological contamination and threats to fishing-based livelihoods.
“The spill was discovered early on Thursday morning around 6:45 am. Crude oil is still flowing into our waterways. No response team has arrived.
“Our rivers, fishing grounds, and drinking sources are already being affected. We are deeply concerned about our survival and livelihood.” he said.
Another community stakeholder, Chief Edwin Otiete-Goli, lamented that the spill has devastated their water and means of livelihood. “Our fishing grounds are polluted, and our ecosystem is under serious threat. We call for immediate accountability, full remediation, and justice for our people who depend entirely on these waters for survival,” he lamented
It would be recalled that Aiteo acquired the OML 29 field and the 97 kilometer Nembe Creek Trunk Line (NCTL) for $ 2.4 billion in 2015 following divestment by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC).
