Ijaw communities in Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, have threatened to shut down the Warri/Escravos trunk line of the Nigerian Pipeline Storage Company (NPSC), following the August 17 oil spill.
In a letter by Johnbull Demebi, Edward Odudu and Chief Moses Bebenimibo to the Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Managing Director of Nigeria Pipeline Storage Company (NPSC), formerly Pipeline Products Management Company (PPMC), the communities issued a seven-day ultimatum to NNPC and NSPC to clean up the communities.
The 34 communities are: Ikpokpo, Tejubor, Okpelema, Opuede, Opuede-Zion, Opuedebubor, Meka-Ama, Oto-Gbene, New Jerusalem Zion, Mala-Gbene, Atanba, Okerenkoko-Gbene, Oporoza federated communities, Gama-Zion, Azama, Inikorogha, Ibanfa and Igoba.
Others are: Kunukunuama, Pepeama, Kurutie, Jaghala, Okerenkoko, Egwa, Bikumor, Sarabubowei, Benikrukru, Kokodiagbene, Kantu, Bebebopre Zion, Olukperebu, Oburu, Ogbotu-Gbene and Seitorsububor.
They urged appropriate authorities to provide materials and compensation for the communities.
The letter recalled that after a joint investigation visit (JIV) by the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency, the Ministry of Environment, NNPC/NPSC, NNPC surveillance contractor (OMS) and the communities affected, it was concluded that the spill was caused by equipment failure.
But after completing the repair works on the failed trunk line for easy transportation of crude to the Warri Refinery, officials of the NNPC/NPSC have toed a different line.
The letter said: “It was unanimously agreed by all parties concerned at the conclusion of the JIV that the cause of the massive oil spillage, which lasted two months, was equipment failure at 6 o’clock (beneath the pipeline) at a welding joint. It would be recalled that NNPC’s spokesman Garba Deen Mohammed stated this position on September 8.
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