Metro

Bayelsa To Sue Oil Companies For Decades Of Environmental Pollution

Published

2 years ago

October 28, 2024

Editor

The Bayelsa State Government has resolved to sue international oil companies operating in the state over unmitigated oil pollution for over six decades.

Governor Douye Diri disclosed this on Monday while addressing an expanded State Executive Council meeting to receive the final report of the Bayelsa State Oil and Environment Commission at Government House, Yenagoa.

He stated, “After a review of an advance copy of your report, I can affirm that it captures the essence of our trials while outlining a hopeful pathway towards resolution. Your insights will serve as a beacon, guiding us towards actionable solutions and inspiring us to restore dignity and opportunity to our people.

“The report, appropriately titled ‘An Environmental Genocide: Counting the Human and Environmental Cost of Oil in Bayelsa, Nigeria,’ is truly alarming.

“Additionally, we are encouraged by the revelation in the report that in most advanced industrialised countries, two basic principles—’polluter pays’ and ‘no fault liability’—form the cornerstone of the legal regime for regulating extractive industries. Taken together, they mean that those who own and operate facilities are responsible for the damage caused by their pollution, even if they are not at fault.”

He indicated that the government may pursue legal redress outside the shores of Nigeria.

“Consequently, the perennial excuse by the IOCs that nearly ’90 per cent of leaks are due to sabotage, a finding they believe frees them of liability for compensating the victims’ would not find accommodation in foreign jurisdictions. That is why we are pleased that this commission has strengthened our capacity to litigate anywhere in the world.”

Diri quoted parts of the report in his address, noting that Bayelsa bears 25 per cent of Nigeria’s oil pollution and that one study estimated that in 2012 alone, oil spills in Nigeria, predominantly in the Niger Delta, resulted in over 16,000 additional neonatal deaths, saying, “Even one life lost to accommodate the greed of oil exploration is one death too many.”

Regarding the level of oil contamination, he stated, “It has been so heavy that, according to estimates, as much as one and a half barrels of oil have been spilled in Bayelsa for every man, woman, and child living in the state today. The figures are even higher for some parts of Bayelsa, with, for instance, as many as six barrels of oil spilled for every person in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area.”

“The stark reality is devastating: every Bayelsa resident is affected, our lives perpetually endangered. The brutal implication: we are either already dead or waiting to die,” he added.

The report estimated that between 1970 and 2014, Nigeria earned an estimated trillion dollars in oil revenue. Since 2006, oil produced in Bayelsa has generated over US $150 billion for the Federal Government and billions for the international oil companies that operate its wells. On average, oil produced in Bayelsa is responsible for approximately US $10 billion in government revenues per year.

Diri formally dissolved the commission but stated that some of the members would be appointed to a committee he would soon set up to implement the report, which he assured would be carried out.

Speaking while presenting the final report to Governor Diri, Chairman of the Bayelsa State Oil and Environment Commission, Archbishop John Sentamu, said oil has been a revenue spinner for the Federal Government but a curse for the land of the state.

Sentamu noted that oil pollution has resulted in the loss of about 40 per cent of mangroves and that the level of toxic waste exceeds acceptable levels in several parts of the state.

Other members of the commission who spoke highlighted various aspects of the report, urging Governor Diri and the Bayelsa State Government to act swiftly to seek environmental justice.

The commission recommended a comprehensive Bayelsa recovery and cleanup plan, a recovery fund of US $12 billion over 12 years, the establishment of a Bayelsa Recovery Agency, a new compensation scheme for those affected, and fundamental reform of the regulatory regime.

It also called for the introduction of a new legal framework and new dispute resolution procedures, enshrining and enhancing the role of state governments, strengthening scrutiny of IOC behaviour both internationally and in their home jurisdictions, overhauling IOC approaches to community engagement to ensure transparency, accountability, and voice, as well as establishing a legally binding effective legacy and decommissioning regime.

Metro

Gunmen Kidnap Businessman In Ibadan

Published

1 day ago

May 4, 2026

Editor

Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have abducted a 60-year-old man in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

The victim was kidnapped on Saturday while on his way to his residence.

The incident occurred at Jinarere, Alakia in Ibadan.

Public Relations Officer of the State Police command, Olayinka Ayanlade, when contacted, confirmed the incident.

Ayanlade in a statement made available to DAILY POST on Sunday, explained that efforts are ongoing to rescue the victim.

Ayanlade said, “Preliminary information reveals that the victim, a 60-year-old male and building materials trader, was accosted while returning home along the Jinarere axis of Alakia Road by four masked armed men, who forcefully whisked him away in an unregistered ash-coloured Toyota Corolla vehicle”.

Metro

Tragedy As Suspected Kidnappers Kill Young Entrepreneur In Edo

Published

2 days ago

May 3, 2026

Editor

A 30-year-old entrepreneur and CEO of Principle Takeout, Justice Abu Oshioke, has been killed by suspected kidnappers in Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State.

He was reportedly attacked by the suspected kidnappers on Saturday while on his way to pick up an order made for his child’s dedication on Sunday morning.

Eyewitnesses said the attackers attempted to force him into a nearby bush in a kidnapping attempt. However, he reportedly resisted and tried to escape.

In the course of the struggle, the assailants opened fire, shooting him multiple times.

Concerned residents quickly rushed him to a nearby medical facility, but he was confirmed dead on arrival.

The deceased was said to have recently gotten married and welcomed a baby boy.

The tragic event has turned a joyous occasion into a moment of grief for the family.

The shocking development has left the Ekpoma community in deep sorrow, with many residents expressing outrage over the growing insecurity in the area.

Edo State Police Command’s spokesperson, Eno Ikoedem confirmed the incident and said the Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika has ordered a “full-scale investigation and intensified manhunt for those responsible.”

According to her, the Police, in collaboration with the military, local vigilantes, and hunters, are actively pursuing the perpetrators through coordinated operations.

Metro

Grandfathers Arrested For Drug Trafficking

Published

2 days ago

May 3, 2026

Editor

Two grandfathers, aged 83 and 78, are among several suspects apprehended by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in a fresh nationwide crackdown on illicit drug trafficking.

Pa John Ofiel, 83, was arrested on Tuesday, 28 April during a raid in the Aba region of Abia State.

The NDLEA said that operatives acting on credible intelligence recovered 700 grams of skunk, a potent strain of cannabis already packaged into retail sachets.

The octogenarian, who claimed to be a professional shoemaker allegedly confessed to delving into the illicit trade.

In Ekiti State on Thursday 30 April 78 year old Ogunjobi Samuel was detained at his residence in Ilupeju-Ekiti where officers seized 350 grams of cannabis from him, identifying him as a local peddler.

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, (CCEO), Brig. Gen. Mohamed Marwa (Rtd), commended the various state commands for their drug supply reduction efforts.

He urged officers to maintain the current momentum, balancing enforcement with the agency’s War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation activities.
The enforcement drive also led to the arrest of a notorious drug dealer in Oyo State Taofik Adeyemi, 49.

He was apprehended on Saturday, 2 May, at his residence in Ibadan after months of evading the authorities.

He was caught alongside his salesman, Mustapha Oyerinde, with 3.085kg of cannabis and a getaway vehicle.

Across other states, the NDLEA recorded significant seizures including over 140,000 pills and capsules of Tramadol intercepted in separate operations targeting transit routes from Damaturu to Hadejia.

A raid on Awolowo Market in Mushin area of Lagos state resulted in the recovery of 740kg of cannabis while in Kaduna, two suspects were caught on the Abuja-Jos highway with 290kg of compressed cannabis concealed in a Honda Ridgeline.

A 65-year-old driver was intercepted at the Ile-Ife toll gate in Osun state conveying skunk and methamphetamine, leading to a follow up arrest of the consignment’s owner in Ilesha.

In line with it’s mandate, the NDLEA continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy, holding enlightenment lectures for students, Islamic schools, and commercial motorcyclists in Niger, Kano, Anambra, and Lagos states.

The NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, noted that the agency remains committed to “cleansing the streets” of both notorious distributors and those who use age as a shield for criminal activity.