Bayelsa Communities Lament Impact Of Spill

The Ogboinbiri community and its nieghbours in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa, have lamented the impact of the January 23 oil leak from Shell’s Seibou oil well.

 Spokesperson of the community, Chief Columbus John-Bull, expressed the people’s concern over the incident in an interview with the New Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Yenagoa on Sunday.

 Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) in March confirmed a leak from an underwater pipeline within its Ogboinbiri oil fields, which discharged 550 barrels of crude into the Ogboinbiri River on January 23.

 John-Bull said the community and its neighbours depended on the river as a source of drinking water and the spill had contaminated it.

 The oil leak from the Seibou deep sea facility adversely affected the fishing occupation of the people as well, and had caused untold hardship to the affected communities.

 “The spill occurred sometime in January this year and raged for two months before Shell responded in March to contain it.

 “Whenever a spill occurs, the oil spreads to the rivers right from the Ogboinbiri River to other rivers in the neighbouring communities, including Keme-Ebiama River,” he said.

 The community leader appealed to the oil firm to provide an alternative source of water for the communities. (NAN)