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Unattended Oil Blowout Spill in Rivers Spreads, Causing Damages in More Communities

Unattended Oil Blowout Spill in Rivers Spreads, Causing Damages in More Communities
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The oil spill from the Buguma Oil Field blowout has continued to spread to more communities along the New Calabar River causing damage to lands and water resources on its path.
The blowout occurred two weeks ago after a security helicopter was said to have fired shots at suspected illegal oil bunkerers operating around the oil wellhead.


Communities now affected by the spill include Ido and Buguma in Asari Toru Local Government Area, Tombia and other communities in Degema Local Government Area.


A fire from the blowout had earlier spread burning down everything in sight including fishing and farm settlements around the wellhead at Iwoama, Bukuma. But eventually ended after it had destroyed several hectares of farmlands, fishing settlements and vegetation.


As the spill fire damaged crops, farmers hurriedly harvested their cassava and other crops soaked by the spill.


Meanwhile, a huge fire from the wellhead has continued to rage on with no effort yet seen by both the owners of the wellhead and other emergency agencies to stop it.


Nigerian Army personnel and gunboat are now stationed in the area, so also were personnel of Tantita Security Company Limited deployed there to check attempt to vandalism the facilities.
A source from the community said that the wellhead was hit by bullets fired by a helicopter sent to scare away illegal oil bunkerers from the wellhead.


Awolayeofori Harry, an environmentalist and indigene of the area lamented the plight that of people of the communities and called for immediate intervention to help the people cope with the disaster. He said the military barred people from going into the area to see the level of devastation.


The Deputy National President of the National Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, NACCIMA Dr. Emi Membere-Otaji, who saw the blowout on the river, called for urgent steps to be taken to contain the spill and block the blowout.


Membere-Otaji said he was on a boat ride on the river when he came across the blowout.
He said, “Irrespective of what or who caused this oil spill the responsibility to immediately contain and clean up the oil spill squarely rests on the owners of the oil facility.


“Despite the immediate loss of income to the fishermen and the loss of marine life we all need to protect and sustain the environment for now and for the generations yet unborn.”


TELL confirmed that South South Zonal Office of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, in Port Harcourt, has received a petition for appeal from the community.

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Written by Emmanuel Obe

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