A major oil spill has occurred at a Shell
Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria, (SPDC), oil pipeline between the
Santa-Barbara and Tego Rivers in Owuanga-Toru of Kula Kingdom in Akuku-Toru
Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The cause of the incident is yet to be
ascertained as at press time but the company is pushing for investigation and
mitigation exercise.
Shell has confirmed the spill, which members of
the affected communities described as “massive.”
“On August 6, 2014, the SPDC JV observed a leak
on a section of the Nembe Creek Trunkline (NCTL) at Owangia community,
Akuku-Toru LGA in Rivers State.
“The impacted section has been shut down,
preparatory to investigation into the cause of the leak and repairs. Some tools
suspected to have been used for crude theft activities were recovered in the
area,” Shell Nigeria spokesman, Mr. Precious Okolobor said.
Community secretary of Owuanga-Toru Community,
Alabo Fiola, who first confirmed the development said, “the oil spills
suspected to have come from SPDC facilities in the area, has affected fishing
and the other uses of the river.”
He attributed the spillage to the activities of
vandals, while appealing for relief materials for the affected communities.
Some members of the affected communities
described the spill as massive, but, Shell said the volume of oil involved is yet
to be ascertained.
Okolobor said a Joint
Investigative Visit would be conducted to the area to establish the extent of
damage to the pipeline.
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