August 20, 2024. 1:35pm
As of the time this report was published, residents were still protesting near the company’s gate.
An oil spill that occurred in Akwa-Ibom state in the Niger Delta is spreading across communities rivers and affecting farmlands, The Colonist Report Africa has found.
Nkoyo Walter, a fisherwoman, accused ExxonMobil of causing the oil spills. She told The Colonist Report Africa that her boat was also affected and that the spill ruined engines and boats in her community. “The oil spill came from ExxonMobil and our community people are still protesting at the ExxonMobil gate.”
The Colonist Report Africa gathered that the incident occurred in the early hours of August 16, 2024, at the Ibeno community Local Government Area, and the spill is still spreading as of the time of filing this report.
Our findings from community sources revealed 26 communities in Ibeno Local Government Areas were affected, including Inua Eyet Ikot, Mkpanak, Iwokpom, Upenkang, Iwoachang, Okorutip, Iwokpom Opolom, Itak Abasi, Okpo Ita, and Okot Itak.
James Eshiet, President of the Ibeno Youth Forum, told The Colonist Report Africa that the oil had spread across all Ibeno shores and had engulfed the nets of fishers. He also stated that the oil is still spreading throughout the communities. “Our fishermen can no longer go to the river because of the impact of the oil in the creeks.”
The Colonist Report Africa discovered that the Ibeno Community Local Government Area is home to some multinational and Indigenous companies, including ExxonMobil, Network Exploration, Universal Energy Resources, and a few others.
Eshiet stated, “We know where the spill came from; it is ExxonMobil, and it occurred on the UB platform. ExxonMobil has refused to take responsibility for the oil spills,” he claims, and continues. “The immediate closest company around here now is Exxon Mobil and it happened on the UB platform.”
The Colonist Report obtained video footage of oil spillage across the river’s surface, which also shows some community residents scooping some of the oil from the riverbank.
Community youth groups, including women and men, were also protesting close to the company’s gate as of the time of publication.
The National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), a Nigerian agency tasked with monitoring oil spills, has been repeatedly accused of failing to fulfil its responsibilities. Affected residents in Ibeno communities said the agency visited the community on August 19 but did not provide an update to confirm the exact cause of the spill.
Eshiet blames NOSDRA for failing to take prompt action to reveal the sources and causes of pollution after the agency visited the community to collect samples. “Neither NOSDRA or had reached out to the affected community members.”
Emem John, another affected resident, stated that his farmland was affected by the oil spill and that nothing was done on the first day the incident occurred. Still, nothing was done on August 19, when NOSDRA arrived to inspect the site. We are suspecting it to be ExxonMobil but they have not claimed any ownership of the spills.”
Umo Isua-ikoh, Coordinator of the Peace Point Development Foundation, an advocacy organisation, told The Colonist Report Africa that the oil spills were taken by the water tide, which could spread to other Local Government Areas along the coastline.
Isua-ikoh is concerned that the oil spill has had a significant impact on the livelihoods of local residents, including farmers and fishermen. “The oil spill is massive and no one has identified the number of barrels of the oil spills.”
“NOSDRA as a regulatory body, should be the responsible to tell us the quantity of the oil production and what was spilt but the companies have continued to be the ones to tell us what was spilt, and these companies would always call people they want.
“The federal government should be blame for not funding NOSDRA to act without depending on the companies,” Isua-Ikoh added.
Since 2022 and 2024, ExxonMobil has been reported to have spilt a total of 106 barrels of crude oil, according to a subsequent investigation conducted by The Colonist Report Africa on the oil monitor website.
We reached out to the company using the media contact details on the company website but no response to our questions as of the time of filing this report.
Editing by Elfredah Kevin-Alerechi
This is a developing story. We will continue to update the report as more stories unfold.
The Colonist Report is published by The Colonist International Ltd. registered in England and Wales with Company number 15222317.
Our registered office address is 128, City Road, London, EC1V 2NX, United Kingdom, but we work remotely and can only be reached via our email address.
Please, further inquiries or for any report about our services, kindly email our managing editor:
elfredahalerechi@thecolonistreport.com
© 2024 The Colonist Report. All rights reserved.
This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website
