The Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) has urged Aiteo Eastern Exploration and Production Company LTD to immediately end oil spills caused by leaks on its pipeline at Worikuma-kiri oilfield in Nembe LGA of Bayelsa State.
On a site visits to the impacted area by its field monitors, Alabo Nengi James, the Vice President 2 of the Ijaw National Congress (INC)/Environmental Right Activist and Mr Alagoa Morris, Project Officer/Head of Niger Delta Resource Centre at Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria, led some journalists from both Arise TV, TVC and Channel TV as they visit the site of the oil spill in OML 29, Well 1 at Worikuma-kiri, Santa Barbara river, in Nembe, Nembe LGA of Bayelsa state, which occurred on the 1st of November, 2021.
Others who accompanied the team to the spill site include the Vice President of Nembe Youth Federation, Comr Nimibofa Collins Degi, Alabo Woriku Ivory – Pegi (elect), who is the Amanyanabo of Worikuma-kiri, the community where the spill occured and the spill is still raging from the wellhead operated by Aiteo Eastern Exploration and Production Company Limited.
Just some few days ago, one Precious Longlife, a 4years old girl from Sand-Sand Village, a settlement just 3km away from the wellhead, believed to have died as a result of methane gas poisoning from the said wellhead which have contaminated the prevailing atmospheric oxygen around those settlements.
Since it occurrence on the 1st of November, 2021. Aiteo have not taken much step in clamping the ruptured spot and crude oil and gas has continued to spew for over 3weeks now.
Alagoa Morris also requested that Aiteo should take immediate steps by moblising to site and clamp the ruptured spot on its pipeline and cleanup the impacted environment.
Alabo Nengi James in the same vein urged Aiteo to take necessary steps to stop the spill and remediate the environment as quick as possible.
Community folks also narrated their ordeal since the occurrence of the spill. According to them, the spill have destroyed aquatic life and the entire eco system which have made fishing in the river difficult for them. Their fishing gears are all contaminated by crude oil and their health is seriously threatened.
According to report, Aiteo Eastern Exploration and Production Company LTD is sourcing for experts from Germany to clamp the ruptured spots as they don’t have the capability to do so.
A boom has already been set by Aiteo to contain the further spread of crude into the environment but it seems the pressure was much and the booms can’t do the work properly as seen.
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