Due to the ongoing oil spills and gas flares in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria caused by the extractive activities of multinational oil companies, two communities have asked the multinational oil giants to put an end to the pollution.
The communities involved are the Eteo Community in Eleme Local Government area of Rivers State and the Okoro-Utip Community in the Ibeno Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
They also urged the companies to fix the damage done to their environment and ensure it is returned to its original state prior to the start of their exploration.
This was part of the decisions the two communities reached at the conclusion of the Farmers Community Town Hall meeting on “Land Right and Fight Against Land Grabbing” organized by the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) held at Okoro-Utip Community Hall, Ibeno, Akwa Ibom State.
The secretary of Okoro-Utip village council, Chief Enyina Wilson, who spoke on behalf of his community, described the struggles his people face due to Exxon Mobil's activities in their community.
He expressed frustration over oil pollution, stating that their rivers and farmlands have been contaminated by oil spills, as well as the air they breathe due to continuous gas flares, and demanded environmental justice.
He stated, “All we want is environmental justice. They should repair and restore our land to its original state. We want these oil companies to stop the gas flares. Our people are dying, and they don’t care about us.”
Gabriel Olomi from Eteo Community, Rivers State, also called for environmental restoration and financial compensation for people who have lost their means of livelihood to pollution like oil spills, particularly the June 2023 spill in his community.
Recalling his experience with the 2023 spills and making some requests, he said, “We woke up on 13 June 2023 and saw oil all over our streams, in the next one week, we discovered it was NNPC property. They came in the night with armed men and sealed the place, and all the water, drinking water, and fish were destroyed.
“We have written letters to the House of Assembly, to the Senate, the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency, and nothing has been done. We want them to bring our land to the original status so that we have back our source of living. My place is like a dead zone, no fishing activities, and no water to drink. We want a total removal of the dilapidated pipes so that such things will not occur again.”
Speaking, the Director of Climate Change and Environmental Awareness at the Ministry of Environment and Mineral Resources, Akwa Ibom State, Mrs Ini Umo, representing the Commissioner, Uno Etim, said the state government has reviewed and strengthened some environmental policies to make them more people friendly.
She also advised the people not to engage in activities that would be harmful to the environment, noting that the government was willing to look into their prayers.
Earlier, the Executive Director, HOMEF, Dr Nnimmo Bassey, an environmental expert, challenged the oil communities to stand up for themselves and see how to solve their problems, having learned enough from the organization.
He said the communities are suffering from problems and emphasized the need for fair treatment and justice for all oil-producing communities in the Niger Delta.
Bassey also expressed strong disapproval of the high number of abandoned oil wells in the Niger Delta, pointing out that they are potential dangers, and urged governments to properly close down the abandoned wellheads.
Remember that the organization (HOMEF) had provided training to the oil-damaged communities in both Rivers and Akwa Ibom on agroecology and mangrove restoration to explore ways to start healing and revitalizing their ruined communities.
