The Environmental Rights Action/ Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) has called on Agip Oil Company to immediately stop the ongoing gas leakage from Bemobebe-aka Gas Well located in Odimodi community in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State.

According to a release by Elvira Jordan, Communication Officer, ERA/FoEN, a Save Our Souls (SOS) message was received from the community on the 5th of July, 2023, wherein they lamented over the gas leakage from Bemobebe-aka Gas Facility belonging to Agip, which has been nonoperational for some time.

According to the release, the Bemobebe-aka gas well is located at the outskirts of Odimodi community; a route that is usually used by fishermen to carry out their fishing activities, and farmers to access their farm lands.

“The environment around the gas leakage is very toxic and highly polluted.

“The people of Odimodi are currently at risk of facing severe health implications from inhaling the gas that has circulated around the air space of Odimodi, coupled with the dangers of a fire outbreak, as gas is highly flammable,” the statement added.

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Lamenting in the release, a fisherman, Brakemi Ndoro, who first spotted and reported the leakage to the leadership of the community said the leakage was discovered about three months ago and suspected to be as a result of a broken valve from the gas plant.

On his part, the Chairman of Odimodi Community, Solomon Gbegha revealed to ERA/FoEN that the leakage was reported to the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), followed by a joint inspection of the leakage by the community representatives and NOSDRA on the 26th of June 2023.

According to the chairman, no other efforts have been made to shutdown the leakage after the inspection.

He added that the people of Odimodi are now living in fear, as the people have been instructed to stay clear of the gas leakage area until it has been turned off.

Also lending her voice on the issue, the women leader of Odimodi Community and mother of eight (8), Mrs. Silver Micheal appealed the government, Agip and the appropriate authorities to come to their aid, as the lives of the people of Odimodi are currently at stake.

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Reacting, Chima Williams, Executive Director ERA/,FoEN, said: ”The people of Odimodi are currently in distress. After surviving series of spills recorded in 2018 and 2022, they are suffering from yet another damage to their environment, in form of a gas leakage caused by Agip.”

“Despite housing multinational companies, Odimodi has been neglected by these companies, hence the slow response to oil spills and gas leakages. The government needs to implement stringent policies that will regulate and manage the activities of oil multinationals in Odimodi and other host communities.”

Calling on Agip to stop the leakage, he urged the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) to conduct an assessment of the level of air pollution in the area for immediate clean up.

“We also recommend that a medical team be deployed to Odimodi, to examine the health status of the people, after being exposed to such air and environmental pollution.
Furthermore, we call on the (NOSDRA) to rise up to its duties in implementing contingency plans against oil spills and gas leakages in Odimodi and other host communities,” he concluded.