Frequent oil spills in communities in Apoi clan of Southern Ijaw local government area of Bayelsa State is unsettling natives and polluting the environment in these areas.
Since the divestment by foreign multinationals to indigenous companies in August Twenty-Twenty-Four, communities such as Ogboinbiri and Keme-ebiama have been experiencing more spills from the Ogboinbiri/Tebidaba pipeline previously operated by Agip which has divested to Oando.
Locals are calling for a stop to incidence of spillages in the communities.From September 2024 to May 2025 at least eight [8] oil spills have occurred within a short distance close to the OandO Flow Station at Ogboinbiri in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area.Out of these incidents, about five have been attributed to equipment failure with fresh oil spill incidents reported on May 5th, 9th and 16th 2025.
A Community leader in Ogboinbiri who would not want his name mentioned said in most instances, clean-up is never done at the spill sites.At Keme-ebiama, the Vice- Chairman of the Community Development Committee, Mr. Alfred Laikpo decried what he describes as neglect and nonchalant posture of OandO despite drawing attention to the frequent oil spill cases in the area.
In its report, the Environmental Defenders Network, EDEN through its Deputy Director, Chief Alagoa Morris expressed concern that the spill impacted environment are not promptly cleaned up and remediated.
The Environmental rights advocacy group noted that despite the submission of the Scientific Report by the Bayelsa Oil and Environment Commission, Environmental Justice has remained elusive, charging regulatory agencies at State and Federal levels to compel the oil companies to ensure proper clean up,remediation and replace old pipelines and facilities. Oando has yet to react to the complaints of the Ogboinbiri and Keme-ebiama communities over the spills in the area.
