Ikpokpo, Tebujor, Okpeleama, Meke-Ama, Opuedebubor, Atanba, Oporoza federated communities, Oto-Gbene, Okerenkoko-Gbene, Opuede, Opuede-Zion, Gama-Zion communities of Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State affected by the spillage from the PPMC/NNPC Escravos to Warri trunk line which occurred on August 17, 2016 has once again cried out to the management of NNPC/PPMC and NOSDRA to save them from the effect of a new spillage from the same trunk line. The communities stated in a letter to the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) dated Thursday 29th of September, 2016 that PPMC/NNPC together with NOSDRA and community representatives went for the joint investigation visit on Monday, the 26th of September, 2016. However, the JIV was inconclusive as the team could not visit most of the communities affected and could not identify the point of rupture. The spillers, PPMC/NNPC promised to carry out a follow up JIV and also take steps to ameliorate the suffering of the people. The communities on that occasion expressed their apprehension that they may suffer again if crude is pumped through the line and agreed with PPMC officials that crude oil should not be pumped through the line again until the ruptured point is identified and repaired.
However, the fears of the community people came to reality again in the early hours of Friday, the 30th of September, 2016 as crude oil was discovered to be gushing out from the ruptured trunkline when NNPC pumped crude oil through the trunk line from the morning of Thursday, the 29th of September, 2016 to Friday, 30th of September, 2016. At the time of issuing this press statement, there is massive spillage of crude oil which is already flowing around all the communities including up to Oporoza federated communities, Gama-Zion community and into the Escravos River. This is the third time this spillage of crude oil into the affected communities is happening anytime crude oil is pumped through the trunk line. We once again call on NNPC/PPMC to take far reaching steps to identify ruptured point, stop further spillage and damage to the communities and properties and also provide relief materials to cushion effect of the spillage on our people. Our people are dying of hunger arising from the complete despoliation of their environment. NNPC/PPMC should stop pumping crude oil through the trunk line until the ruptured point is identified and repaired. We call on the Nigerian government to come to our rescue and protect our right to life and clean environment.
Signed for the Gbaramatu Communities:
Yabrade Moses
Edward Odudu
Below are pictures of the inconclusive JIV involving NNPC/PPMC, NOSDRA and Gbaramatu community representatives on 26/8/2016:
