Reports have emerged of an oil spillage in the K-Dere community of Gokana Local Government Area in Rivers State.
According to the Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria), the spill occurred on January 3, 2024, from the PPMC pipeline transporting crude to the Port Harcourt Refinery.
The spill was detected through YEAC-Nigeria’s Crude Oil Spill Alert System (COSAS).
While the community attributes the spillage to equipment failure, the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) has not yet conducted a Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) to assess the situation.
The spill reportedly took place at a previously repaired but unclamped section of the pipeline, which had leaked crude into the environment 17 years ago.
The K-Dere community has halted the PPMC from repairing the spill point until NOSDRA conducts a JIV.
In response, the company has temporarily contained the spill using a cement barricade to facilitate the transportation of crude needed for the Port Harcourt refinery’s test run.
However, permanent repairs are pending until NOSDRA’s requirements are met.
Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, the Executive Director of YEAC-Nigeria, has urged NOSDRA to promptly conduct a JIV to identify the spill’s cause.
He also called for the invocation of relevant sections of the Petroleum Industry Act (2021) in addressing the situation.
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