Oil spill hits Bayelsa community

An oil spill has been reported along Jalingo settlement near Nembe Creek in Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.



According to sources, the spill, which was noticed Monday night by some of the locals returning from fishing expedition is from a Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, facility in the area.
Though the cause of the spill could not be immediately ascertained, community sources said it was fast spreading and contaminating the marine environment.

Speaking on the development, the Chairman of the Oil and Gas Committee of Nembe Kingdom, Chief Nengi James called on the company to swing into action to contain and clean up the spill.
“The well head is spewing crude oil and the entire waterways and creeks are being covered with crude oil.

“We are calling on the authorities concerned, especially Shell and other regulators to immediately go for Joint Investigation Visit and clean up the spill because it has tampered with the marine and mangrove forest, the mainstay of the peoples’ existence,” he said.