Warri Community Protests 8-Year Oil Spill, Seeks Government and Monarch’s Intervention

Women and youths of Aja-Olokpudu Community in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State on Thursday, staged a peaceful protest, over an alleged crude oil spill from Oil Mining Lease (OML) 150.

The protesters alleged that the spill, from OML 150 operated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and Conoil Producing Limited Joint Venture, has continued since 2018 despite repeated complaints to the operators and recently, to the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA).

Calling for justice, the community, in a letter dated July 30 and addressed to NOSDRA by its Counsel, J. A. Aigbodion, noted that the pollution has caused severe damage in the community and demanded that the affected facility be permanently fixed.

Addressing journalists, Chairman of the Aja-Olokpudu Community Trust, Otos Omeyeremi, said the community had written several letters to the operators and also petitioned NOSDRA without getting a lasting solution.

He said residents had resorted to using logs of wood to reduce the spread of the crude, describing it as a temporary measure taken after years of waiting for the company to repair the leaking facility.

“Recently, the community made some efforts to use wood to block the spill. But we are tired, that’s why we came to do this protest.

“Woods are not supposed to be used to block that pressure. The company should come with its team to see for themselves, and come to do cleanup of the environment,” he stated.

He added that the pollution had affected farming and fishing, their major sources of livelihood.

Appealing for urgent intervention, the community called on the Federal Government, Delta State Government, the Chairman of Warri South Local Government and the Olu of Warri, His Majesty Ogiame Atuwatse III, to prevail on the operators to permanently stop the leak, clean up the environment and restore residents’ means of livelihood.