Residents of Obololi, a riverine community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, are battling severe hardship following an oil spill that contaminated their primary water source.
Weeks after the incident, locals say relief efforts have been slow, leaving them stranded without clean drinking water.
The spill, which occurred on February 16, was traced to the Nun River-Kolo Creek pipeline operated by Shell Petroleum Development Company
According to the National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency, crude oil leaked into the Obololi River and surrounding creeks, worsening the already precarious living conditions of the residents.
Community leaders are now calling for urgent intervention. Speaking on Tuesday, the Chairman of the Obololi Community Development Committee, Goodnews Okoi, described the situation as dire.
“Our people are suffering. The river, which is our only source of water, has been polluted. Fishing and farming have been badly affected. Now, we are forced to buy sachet water at N50 each or N800 per bag. It is unbearable, especially given the economic hardship in the country,” Okoi lamented.
Although SPDC claims to have shut down oil feeds into the affected pipeline, residents say the company has yet to provide any tangible relief. Many fear a looming health crisis, with concerns about cholera outbreaks due to the lack of safe drinking water.
Local authorities have made attempts to intervene, but progress has been slow. The Chairman of Southern Ijaw LGA, Target Segibo, had pledged to fix a borehole for the community, but work stalled after the submersible pump broke down.
Similarly, the state’s Commissioner for Environment recently visited the area, but residents say no concrete action has followed.
Meanwhile, NOSDRA has suggested a river diversion to grant access to the leak point, but community members fear the move could worsen their plight.
“If they divert the river, how will boats carrying essential supplies reach us?” Okoi asked. “Since mid-February, we have suffered without any support from SPDC. We need immediate action to address this crisis.”
As the community waits for a response, frustration continues to mount, with residents demanding urgent relief and long-term solutions to prevent future disasters.
