By Faith Imbu, Elfredah Kevin-Alerechi, Sunday Elom
Photo shows Plots of land in Iwuopom that has been damaged by Oil Spill/Faith Imbu 13 October 2024
When the sun rises over Ibeno Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom State, its light falls on a land rich in oil but poor in everything else. The people here say they are surrounded by wealth, yet live in darkness, thirst, and hunger. For over a decade, oil companies have drilled beneath their soil and sea, but the communities remain without clean water, electricity, or health centres.
But the rainy season is a disturbing season for the residents because every raindrop touches the oil-spilled areas, which then pushes the rainwater into the river, which is their source of fishing business.
On October 13, 2024, when The Colonist Report Africa visited the community,. the riverbanks were all covered with oil spills and several roofs in the village were seen rusted, which some residents claim is a result of the activities of oil multinational companies.
A study by Ekpoh and Obia shows that gas flaring significantly accelerates the corrosion of zinc roofs in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria.
Photo of a Rusted zinc in Iwompom Community October 13 2024
Even the water used by community residents was affected by rust. The Colonist Report Africa fetched drinking water on October 13, and by October 14, the water turned yellow.
Walking through Okoroitak and Iwuopom communities, the evidence of the impact of oil and gas activities was everywhere:, rusted pipelines running dangerously close to drinking water, polluted rivers, and farmlands turned into black swamps. The smell of crude oil lingers in the air, a constant reminder of promises unfulfilled and danger for residents living near the oil and gas companies.
Photo shows Network Exploration Company Oil well head in Okoritak Community & resident fetching water from the gutter near the oil well head/ Faith Imbu October 14 2024
Network Exploration & Production Nigeria Ltd. , ExxonMobil, among others, are the companies operating in the communities we visited in Akwa Ibom State. The companies are yet to respond to our email sent since November 26, 2025.
However, ExxonMobil sold its assets, including a 40% operating interest in four oil mining leases (OMLs 67, 68, 70, and 104), the Qua Iboe Terminal, and a 51% interest in the Bonny River Terminal, to Seplat Energy, a major indigenous Nigerian energy company listed on both the Nigerian and London Stock Exchanges. The deal was sealed in December 2024, two months after we visited the community.
According to data from the Nigeria Oil Monitor website, Network Exploration and Production Nigeria Ltd recorded one oil spill incident in Ibeno, Akwa Ibom State, in 2023, involving a spill of 5.03 barrels of oil. As of December 19, when The Colonist Report Africa checked the agency’s website, the cause of the incident had not yet been determined. The spill affected land.
Further findings by The Colonist Report Africa show that Seplat, the company that acquired Exxon Mobil’s assets, recorded a total of 167 spill incidents and spilled 1,166.03 barrels of oil between 2020 and 2025, according to records from the Nigeria Oil Monitor website.
Seplat’s highest number of spills was recorded around the period it closed the deal to acquire Exxon Mobil’s assets. In 2024, the company recorded 40 incidents, resulting in 219.82 barrels of oil spilled. In 2025, it recorded 21 incidents, with a total spill volume of 253.68 barrels. Most of the company’s reported spills occurred in Port Harcourt and Warri.
As of the time of publication, The Colonist Report Africa could not find any spill incidents linked to the company recorded on the Nigeria Oil Monitor website, despite community complaints about pollution caused by the previous owner, Exxon Mobil. We also did not find any spill records attributed to Exxon Mobil by the Nigeria Oil Monitor team.
Rights groups have consistently criticised the agency for failing to carry out its responsibilities properly and for relying on polluting companies to support its operations. Critics say this dependence undermines the agency’s ability to conduct thorough and independent investigations.
“They Threatened My Life for Speaking Out”
Photo Shows Comrade Okon in his community/Faith Imbu on October 14, 2024
At Okoroitak, a small fishing village, the youth president, Comrade Okon, speaks with anger and exhaustion. One could feel the pain in his voice, saying, the only source of power in the area.
“The company’s pipeline passes beside our drinking water,” he said, referring to Network Exploration Company, which operates an oil well in the community. “We asked for clean water and solar street lights, but nothing has been done.”
Okon said the people have not benefited from the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), which was meant to ensure host communities share in oil wealth. “Since the PIA started, we have seen no benefit. We asked those in charge what the money is used for, but no one can explain. Because they believed I was asking too many questions, he told The Colonist Report Africa, adding that he had received life threats for asking about the money from the PIA.
The Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021 mandates that 3% of the operational proceeds of petroleum companies be allocated to host communities. This fund supports development projects, infrastructure, and social programs, ensuring that communities impacted by oil and gas activities benefit directly from industry revenues.
Photo Shows Youth President, Joseph Jonah in his community waterside/Faith Imbu on October 13, 2024
Dead Rivers, Dead Livelihoods
In nearby Iwuosha Community, the story is even more heartbreaking. The youth President, Joseph Jonah, recalls how oil spills have destroyed their once-thriving fishing grounds.
“Our aquatic animals are dead. The fishing nets are spoiled. The rivers have no fish again,” he said, pointing at a river whose surface shines with a rainbow of oil. “Even our farmlands are gone. People no longer farm;, they’ve given up.”
Jonah said every dry season, government and company officials promise action, but the only thing that changes is the colour of the water. “We have been asking about the PIA funds, but no one tells us anything,” he said.
He also described new signs of environmental distress: black soot falling with the rain, and rooftops rusting faster than ever. “We know it is because of the pollution from ExxonMobil, Coin Oil, and Network Exploration. They are killing our land and our people.”
“Women Die Giving Birth Because There’s No Clinic”
Photo Shows the women leader of Iwonpom community Mrs. Abigail Edideom, in her community waterside/Faith Imbu on October 14, 2024
At Iwuopom village, Mrs. Abigail Edideom, the women’s leader, struggled to hold back tears as she spoke about the dangers of childbirth in her community.
“Many women die during childbirth because there’s no clinic. I’m taking care of a small girl whose mother died while giving birth,” she said softly.
The nearest health facility is several miles away, and women are forced to travel by boat or on foot through swampy paths to get medical help.
Businesses Washed Away
Photo shows community fisher, in the river with his fishing boat/ Faith Imbu on October 14, 2024
Another resident, who simply identified herself as Chidiebere, popularly known as Ikem, a businessman who has lived in Iwuopom for nearly three decades, said the oil spill has been a disaster that wiped out residents’ source of income.
“The August and September 2024 spill finished everything,” he said. “It killed fish, stopped fishermen from going to the river, and affected my boat and trading business.”
Also, in Okoroitak , a farmer identified as Tyoro, a farmer and fisherman, has also abandoned farming. He alleged that “Network Exploration is the cause of the pollution destroying our river and farmland. Now we survive by cutting firewood and selling it. That’s our only income now,” he said.
“Forty Years and No One from Here Has Been Employed”
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Photo shows Austin Akpan seated his community residence / Faith Imbu on October 13, 2024
The community chairman in Iwuopom community, Austin Akpan, said multinational companies have taken everything and given nothing back.
“We have no scholarships, no health centre, no electricity, no clean water, no jobs,” he said. “They destroyed our rivers and farmlands. People have worked for these companies for over 40 years, yet no one from this community is employed. The few who got jobs were later dismissed.”
He called on the federal government to visit Ibeno and see the suffering for themselves.
At the palace in Ibeno, the Paramount Ruler, His Royal Majesty Owong (Prof.) Effiong B. Archianga, shook his head as he spoke about the destruction of his land.
“Our land is rich in resources, but our people are poor. The oil spills have destroyed our farms and rivers. Yet we have received nothing from NGOs, the state government, or the federal government,” he said.
He urged immediate government intervention to rescue Ibeno’s communities from total collapse.
Photo shows Ogoni Community River/ / Faith Imbu on November 8, 2024
Ogoni’s Long Road to Recovery
Hundreds of kilometres away in Rivers State, another story unfolds, this time in the Ogoni region, where oil pollution has eaten deep into the land. The story of Ogoniland pollution has been everywhere and unending.
Decades after oil spills turned their rivers black, cleanup efforts led by HYPREP and Shell are ongoing, but progress remains slow.
In November 2024, when The Colonist Report Africa visited the Ogoniland in Bomu village. Right group, Health of Mother Earth Foundation, HOMEF, staff were seen in the coming (coming what: days, season or months?) trying to plant trees to support the land.
Nnimmo Bassey in Ogoni community/Faith Imbu on November 8, 2025
Founder of HOMEF, Nnimmo Bassey, was seen at the waterfront alongside other members of his team. He praised HYPREP’s initial cleanup.
According to Bassey,“The environment is gradually returning to its normal self,” he said, as his team planted mangroves to restore aquatic life. “But it could take up to 30 years for full recovery.”
Local diver, Legedu Deekor, who expressed hope that they are beginning to witness the re-emergence of some seafoods like periwinkles, however, noted that their fishing and farming businesses are still in shambles. “We can now see seafood like periwinkles again,” he said. “But our fishing and farming are not the same. Pollution destroyed everything.”
Community leader Bowin Peter explained that remediation is almost done, but the restoration phase hasn’t started. “Until the full restoration begins, the land and rivers cannot truly heal,” he said.
Photos shows some Enivronmental Activist and members of HYPREP/Faith Imbu November 8,2024
Photo shows Nimo Bassey, some Activist and some members of the HYPREP at Bodo Community, going to plant mangrove to see the healing process of the land made by HYPREP/Faith Imbu November 8 2024
While there seems to be HYPREP working on restoring the land, community residents are still worried that the delay is affecting their livelihood. Kabari Barilelu Patricia, a farmer, said the soil no longer produces crops. “Farming has become impossible.” She also accused HYPREP of failing to provide clean drinking water, leaving communities like Bori without safe water.
Melody Gold Barry-Yobo, from the Kono community, alleged that, “Shell has turned Ogoni people into environmental refugees. We are dying from cancer and respiratory diseases, and no one has compensated us.”
A Community activist, Friday Ibani, called for climate justice, saying, “It’s time to leave oil in the soil. Our health, our land, and our future depend on it.”
Experts Speak: “We Want to Know the True State of the Environment”
“They’re Leaving a Mess Behind”
Steven Obodoekwe, Programme Director at the Centre for Environment, Human Rights, and Development (CEHRD), also warned that oil companies are abandoning damaged lands as they move to deep-sea operations.
“Communities don’t even understand the agreements being made. The IOCs might have left, but they’re still controlling things through local companies,” he said.
He explained that while oil drilling has stopped in some areas like Ogoniland, pollution from decades ago still poisons the land and water. “They must clean up before leaving. Otherwise, the damage will continue.”
Obodoekwe said the regulators, the same government agencies meant to protect the environment, often depend on oil companies for logistics.
“The companies provide boats, flights, and even accommodation for regulators. How can you be independent like that?”
He said this dependence leads to collusion and cover-ups, stressing, “Investigations are manipulated to make spills look smaller than they are.”
He warned that deep-sea drilling could be even more dangerous. “It’s harder to monitor, and the pollution eventually flows back to our coastlines.”
Both Morris and Obodoekwe criticized the government’s failure to use Environmental Remediation Funds properly. “Corruption has eaten deep,” Obodoekwe said. “We need real transparency and an honest energy transition away from oil.”
This part 2 investigation was funded by HEDA Agenda and The Colonist Report UK and The Colonist Report Africa
Read Part 1 here
