Crime

Fresh Oil Spill in Ogoniland as Tinubu Launches Environmental University

Published by Tope Fakinlede on February 4th, 2025.

Fresh Oil Spill in Ogoniland as Tinubu Launches Environmental University

A fresh oil spill has been reported in Ogale, located in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State, coinciding with the announcement of the Federal University of Environmental Technology, Ogoni, by President Bola Tinubu.

According to SaharaReporters, the spill, which occurred on Monday evening, is suspected to have resulted from equipment failure at the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) of Nigeria.

In the meantime, the bill establishing the environmental university, sponsored by Senator Barinaadaa Mpigi, was approved by the National Assembly before receiving presidential approval.

The Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria), through its Executive Director Dr. Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, stated that the “One Million Youth Volunteers Network of Human Rights Defenders and Promoters in the Niger Delta” had informed the organization about the spill at the Ogale Manifold. The leaked crude is said to have filled underground pits before spreading to the pipeline corridor near Lot-1 of the Ogoni cleanup project under the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP).

The volunteers attribute the spill to suspected equipment failure at the manifold, owned by Shell, during maintenance work carried out by contractors. They also reported disturbances caused by the Eleme Youth President, Mr. Walter Olaka, who allegedly led a group of armed individuals to the spill site. The group confiscated trucks used to evacuate the spilled oil, assaulted drivers, and injured several people, including Mr. Gift Gongogo Nene, who was reportedly attacked with a knife by the youths.

In response, the Advocacy Centre, through its Crude Oil Spill Alert System (COSAS), has called for a police inquiry to restore peace and order in the area.

Dr. Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface urged the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) to conduct a joint investigation visit (JIV) at the site, enforce provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, and ensure that containment and cleanup efforts are properly executed. The Centre also emphasized the need for fair compensation for farmers whose crops were damaged by the spill.

This spill highlights the ongoing environmental struggles in Ogoniland, even as government efforts continue to tackle the region’s long-standing oil pollution issues.