The Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) has finally carried out repairs on its ruptured pipeline in the environment of Kalaba community in the Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, about one year after an oil spill occurred on the facility.
It was gathered that the damaged point on the pipeline continued to spew crude oil and gas into the community’s environment since July 30, 2019 when the incident happened.
The oil spill was said to have devastated the ecosystem of the impacted area as its spread was aided by the heavy rains of last year.
It was said to have been caused by a third party interference which breached the facility.
Mr Samuel Oburo, the Chairman of Kalaba Community Development Committee (CDC), confirmed that NAOC mobilised to site around the end of May this year.
He claimed that the oil firm’s eventual response followed intense pressure the community mounted on its management through petitions to the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), the Bayelsa State Ministry of Environment and advocacy by the Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN).
Oburo said, “After the incident, we made series of attempt trying to reach Agip through some groups, even NOSDRA and ERA/FoEN, to be specific. We believe the message was passed to the company by ERA/FoEN through the media.
“So, like I said, this spill happened on the 30th of July, 2019 and they (Agip) came for repairs on 31st of May, 2020. Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) was conducted (on the oil spill) that same day.”
“But since it was a major repair job, it took them three days to complete the task. The maintenance job was concluded on 2nd of June, 2020. So, you can see it took them about one year interval. Ordinarily, it ought not to be so”- culled from Independent newspaper.
