Leaders and residents of Odidi Federated Community in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State have called on Heritage Energy Operational Services Limited (HEOSL) to immediately halt and clean up an oil spill from its Trans Forcados Pipeline (TFP), saying the incident has crippled fishing activities, polluted the waterways, and has endangered public health.

Speaking with PENGlobal Community on Saturday, the chairman of Odidi community, Amb. Gbenekama Truston said the spill had persisted for over two months with no response from the operator.

“For over two months, there have been spills in their line, and up to this moment, they have not responded to curtail this spill. They have not done any cleanup,” Truston said.

He urged HEOSL to urgently mobilize contractors immediately to repair the pipeline and begin remediation stressing that, “The oil spill is ravaging the environment, and these riverine communities are basically fishing communities. For now, none of the women can go fishing because the water is highly polluted,” he claimed.

Gbenekama also called on the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) and the Ministry of Environment to compel the company to act, especially as community members complained that the spill had made breathing difficult asides the destruction of the aquatic life and mangroves.

Gbenekama warned that the situation echoed a 2015 incident in the same area wherein negligence allegedly led to the death of a woman and her four children.

“We don’t want that to repeat itself," he said. "The children are finding it difficult to breathe because of the pollution. Relief materials should be made available because all the women, elders, and children in the area are affected,” he lamented.

The Secretary of Odidi community, Amb. Mamamu Bene said residents were running out of patience, warning that “We are peace-loving people, but we are tired of waiting. If they don’t come to intervene and clean up, we will take our protest to their office,” he vowed.

Chairlady of Odidi community, who identified herself as a daughter of the soil, said “We don’t even go fishing anymore" and added in her direct appeal to the company "I beg, come and clean our environment so we can have peace!”

Community leaders said failure to act swiftly would force the community to take further steps to protect its welfare and environment.

“We are calling on the various authorities to swing into action immediately because time waits for no man,” Mamamu warned, adding further that “This is a strong message to the operators.”

Efforts to reach the management of HEOSL for comments were unsuccessful as at press time. However, a tour of the affected site revealed that oil spill had spread and demands urgent action to save lives. 

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