The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) on Saturday urged the Federal Government to probe the reported pollution of the Niger Delta coastline that led to massive death of fishes and sanction the polluters.
Mr Kenedy Olorogun, the Chairman of IYC Transition Implementation Committee, said that the leadership of the group was worried that the increased toxicity of the waters was causing massive death of fishes.
He said that the Atlantic coastline across Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers and Akwa Ibom was littered with dead fishes, a development that posed danger to the predominantly fishing settlements close to the coastline.
“The coastal communities and surrounding communities are presently facing severe cases of oil pollution and other toxic substances in the midst of the global pandemic.
“At the moment, marine life and the lives of the people of these coastal areas are under severe threat.
“The entire water body surrounding these communities has been severely despoiled by oil spillage and other toxic substances.
“There are unconfirmed reports that some of the major oil companies operating in these areas may have discharged very dangerous toxic substances into their rivers and creeks; coupled with oil spills which have resulted in the death of marine and aquatic life.
“These multinationals operating in the region are careless about the environmental and economic impact of their oil explorative and extractive activities. Their major goal is profit and not safety.
“The leadership of IYC will not sit idle and watch any community in Ijaw land or Niger Delta being destroyed by the avarice and greed of people who have not and are not contributing to the economic wellbeing of the country.
“The council is calling on relevant government institutions and agencies to swiftly come to the aid of these Ijaw communities to mitigate the effect of the oil pollution and the discharge of toxic substances that are presently destroying aquatic and marine life.
“Government institutions such as the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA).
“Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and environmental rights; locally and international organisations should rise to the occasion and put an end to the senseless and meaningless destruction of marine life.
“The dangers posed also include the lives of humans and the ecosystem by these oil majors,” Olorogun said.
The group also demanded that a high powered investigative panel should be set up by the Federal Government where appropriate sanctions would be meted out to anyone or organisation found culpable.
The youth leader said that in line with the ‘polluter pays principle’, the culprit would be prevailed to pay compensation to the people of the area to serve as a deterrent to other companies and organisations.
However, Mr Idris Musa, the Director-General of NOSDRA said the spill agency would deploy manpower and resources to the sites to commence an investigation as soon as the lockdown for the COVID-19 was lifted.
