ERA/FoEN Accuses Shell Of Lackadaisical Approach To Halt Ekuraba Creek Pipeline Leakage

The Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) has requested Shell to promptly rectify a leak in their condensate pipeline in Ekuraba Creek, located in the Otuasega community in Ogbia local government area of Bayelsa State.

The appeal was made following an on-site visit by an ERA/FoEN team, led by the Program Manager and Head of the Niger Delta Resource Center, Comrade Alagoa Morris.

The team was responding to a distress signal prompted by a video shared on social media by a local, revealing significant pollution in Ekuraba Creek.

Otuasega is the location of Shell’s Kolocreek Logistic Base, an oil extraction site, and Shell’s Kolocreek Tie-In Manifold and pipelines. The community has frequently endured detrimental impacts stemming from pollution related to the oil industry.

A local fisherman, Akpobolokeme Odofori, expressed distress over the pollution caused by the leak and its subsequent impact on local fishing activities.

Odofori guided the ERA/FoEN team to the spill site and revealed that the spill had disrupted fishing, leading to a significant reduction in their catch.

Igbeta James Brown, a member of the Otuasega community, claimed that Shell had been alerted about the spill a week ago but had yet to take action.

Beauty Inie Keghe, a resident of the Ekuraba fishing camp, reported that the spill had led to health issues among children and extreme hardship for the local fisherfolk, who depend on fishing for their survival.

Nyamono Ezuzu Sydney, the CDC Chairman of Otuasega community, criticized Shell’s lackadaisical approach to managing oil spills and called for government intervention.

Sydney highlighted that the spill was detrimental to their environment and community, who rely heavily on the creek for fishing and farming.

Chima William, the Executive Director of ERA/FoEN, urged Shell to immediately determine the cause of the leak and called on regulatory bodies, particularly NOSDRA, to enforce penalties for Shell’s failure to report the spill in a timely manner.

William also demanded an immediate cleanup of the impacted environment to prevent further damage.