By Francis Sadhere, Warri
Environmental rights advocate and peace campaigner, Chief (Comrade) Mulade Sheriff, PhD, has urged the Federal Government and Delta State Government to declare an environmental emergency over a reported oil spill affecting several communities in Warri South-West and Burutu Local Government Areas of Delta State.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Mulade described the reported spill as an environmental disaster with potentially devastating ecological, economic and public health consequences if urgent measures are not taken to contain it.
He alleged that the spill originated from facilities operated by Heritage Energy Operational Services Limited across Oil Mining Leases (OMLs) 4, 26, 34, 38, 41 and 42, with crude transported through the Trans Forcados Pipeline (TFP).
According to him, the 18-inch Trans Forcados Pipeline was constructed in the early 1980s and has exceeded its expected lifespan, alleging that despite concerns over the ageing infrastructure, authorities and oil operators have continued production without adequately addressing the associated environmental and safety risks.
Mulade claimed that rivers, creeks, mangrove forests and farmlands in the affected communities had been contaminated, threatening the livelihoods of thousands of residents who depend on fishing and farming.
He said many fishermen had reportedly abandoned their fishing grounds because of polluted waters, while farmers were witnessing the destruction of their farmlands. He added that women and children were particularly vulnerable due to their exposure to contaminated water sources.
Describing the situation as “an assault on the environment, public health and the survival of host communities,” Mulade warned that every delay in responding to the spill could worsen the environmental damage and human suffering.
He called on Heritage Energy Operational Services Limited to immediately contain the reported spill, deploy emergency response teams, commence environmental remediation in line with international best practices and engage affected communities transparently.
The environmental advocate also demanded an independent Joint Investigation Visit (JIV), involving regulatory agencies, host communities, environmental experts and civil society organisations, to determine the cause, extent and impact of the reported spill.
Mulade further urged the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the Federal Ministry of Environment to urgently investigate the incident and ensure strict compliance with environmental regulations.
He also called for humanitarian assistance, medical support and adequate compensation for residents whose livelihoods may have been affected by the pollution.
As of the time of filing this report, Heritage Energy Operational Services Limited, NOSDRA and the NUPRC had not publicly responded to the allegations.
Environmental rights advocate and peace campaigner, Chief (Comrade) Mulade Sheriff, PhD, has urged the Federal Government and Delta State Government to declare an environmental emergency over a reported oil spill affecting several communities in Warri South-West and Burutu Local Government Areas of Delta State.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Mulade described the reported spill as an environmental disaster with potentially devastating ecological, economic and public health consequences if urgent measures are not taken to contain it.
He alleged that the spill originated from facilities operated by Heritage Energy Operational Services Limited across Oil Mining Leases (OMLs) 4, 26, 34, 38, 41 and 42, with crude transported through the Trans Forcados Pipeline (TFP).
According to him, the 18-inch Trans Forcados Pipeline was constructed in the early 1980s and has exceeded its expected lifespan, alleging that despite concerns over the ageing infrastructure, authorities and oil operators have continued production without adequately addressing the associated environmental and safety risks.
Mulade claimed that rivers, creeks, mangrove forests and farmlands in the affected communities had been contaminated, threatening the livelihoods of thousands of residents who depend on fishing and farming.
He said many fishermen had reportedly abandoned their fishing grounds because of polluted waters, while farmers were witnessing the destruction of their farmlands. He added that women and children were particularly vulnerable due to their exposure to contaminated water sources.
Describing the situation as “an assault on the environment, public health and the survival of host communities,” Mulade warned that every delay in responding to the spill could worsen the environmental damage and human suffering.
He called on Heritage Energy Operational Services Limited to immediately contain the reported spill, deploy emergency response teams, commence environmental remediation in line with international best practices and engage affected communities transparently.
The environmental advocate also demanded an independent Joint Investigation Visit (JIV), involving regulatory agencies, host communities, environmental experts and civil society organisations, to determine the cause, extent and impact of the reported spill.
Mulade further urged the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the Federal Ministry of Environment to urgently investigate the incident and ensure strict compliance with environmental regulations.
He also called for humanitarian assistance, medical support and adequate compensation for residents whose livelihoods may have been affected by the pollution.
As of the time of filing this report, Heritage Energy Operational Services Limited, NOSDRA and the NUPRC had not publicly responded to the allegations.
