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Niger Delta Rights Activist, Ozobo Austin, Exposes Shell’s False Claims On Oil Spills

Published

1 year ago

August 31, 2024

Comrade Ozobo Austin, a renowned Niger Delta rights and environmental activist, has vehemently countered Shell Petroleum Development Company’s assertions that oil theft is the primary cause of oil spills in the region.

Shell had in a recent press briefing claimed that most oil spills in the Niger Delta region are caused by crude oil theft, the sabotage of oil and gas production facilities, and illegal oil refining, including the distribution of illegally refined products.

However, in a scathing response, Austin revealed that the actual culprits behind the oil spills are the aging facilities, daily oil exploration activities and system failures, not oil theft.

The activist noted that with the presence of Tantita Security Service Limited and other indigenous security companies policing the oil pipelines, oil theft had been significantly reduced to the barest minimum.

“It’s unimaginable for Shell to continue raising false alarms about oil theft truncating oil daily output when the reality on the ground is different,” he added.

Austin exposed the real perpetrators of oil theft, pointing fingers at the oil company officials in the Niger Delta who exploit a bad metering system, barging, and under-reporting daily production output.

He emphasised that local oil bunkering and oil activities have been curtailed for the past three years, contradicting Shell’s claims.

“The majority of oil spills in the Niger Delta are caused by the decrepit state of Shell’s infrastructure, including pipelines, flow stations, and other facilities,” he said.

“Years of neglect and lack of investment in maintenance have led to frequent system failures, resulting in devastating oil spills that harm our environment and communities.”

The activist argued that Shell’s claim of oil theft being the main cause of oil spills was an attempt to deflect attention from the company’s own negligence and lack of accountability.

He pointed out that Shell’s facilities in the Niger Delta are some of the oldest in the world, with some pipelines dating back to the 1960s.

“It’s unacceptable for Shell to continue blaming oil theft for its own failures. The company must take responsibility for its actions and invest in upgrading its infrastructure to prevent these spills. Our communities deserve better than to have their lives and livelihoods constantly threatened by Shell’s negligence,” he added.

“The Federal Government should look inward and investigate oil theft within the oil companies, security and government officials who connive to under-report actual daily production and load more barrels than reported,” the rights activist demanded.

“It’s time to stop blaming local communities and address the real issues of aging infrastructure and system failures.”

He appealed for transparency and accountability in the oil industry.

His statement highlighted the need for a thorough investigation into oil theft and spills, focusing on the root causes rather than scapegoating local communities.

News

NiMet Predicts Three-day Rain, Thunderstorms From Monday

Published

23 hours ago

September 21, 2025

Editor

News

JUST IN: Ooni Visits Olubadan-designate Ladoja In Ibadan

Published

1 day ago

September 21, 2025

Editor

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, on Sunday, paid a visit to the Olubadan designate, Rashidi Ladoja, at his Bodija private residence in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The PUNCH reports that Oba Ladoja will be installed as the 44th Olubadan on Friday, September 26, 2025, following the demise of the 43rd Olubadan, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, who joined his ancestors on Monday, July 7, 2025, at the age of 90 years.

The two paramount rulers are currently exchanging pleasantries.

Details later…

News

JUST IN: FG Revokes 1,263 Mineral Licenses Over Unpaid Fees

Published

1 day ago

September 21, 2025

Editor

The Federal Government through the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development has announced a fresh revocation of not less than 1,263 mineral licenses.

These licenses, which will now be deleted from the Electronic Mining Cadastral System portal of the Nigerian Mining Cadastral Office, include 584 exploration licenses, 65 mining leases, 144 quarry licenses, and 470 small-scale mining leases.

The minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, gave the revocation announcement in a statement issued by his special assistant on Media, Segun Tomori, on Sunday in Abuja.

The minister explained that the directive was issued due to the companies’ failure to comply with the requirement of paying their annual service fees.

The latest revocation brings the total mineral titles revoked under the current administration to 3, 794 including,619 mineral titles revoked for defaulting in paying annual service fees and 912 for dormancy last year.

By opening up the areas formerly covered by these licenses, the revocation is expected to spur fresh applications by investors looking for fresh opportunities.

The statement read, “Not less than 1,263 mineral licenses will be deleted from the portal of the Electronic Mining Cadastral system of the Nigerian Mining Cadastral Office, MCO, following their revocation by the Federal Government.

“These include 584 exploration licenses, 65 mining leases, 144 quarry licenses, and 470 small-scale mining leases.”

Approving the revocation following the recommendation of the MCO, the Minister said applying the law to keep speculators and unserious investors away from the mining sector would make way for diligent investors and grow the sector.

“The era of obtaining licences and keeping them in drawers for the highest bidder, while financially capable and industrious businessmen are complaining of access to good sites, is over.

“The annual service fee is the minimum evidence that you are interested in mining. You don’t have to wait for us to revoke the license because the law allows you to return the license if you change your mind,” the minister said.

He warned that the revocation does not mean the Federal Government has pardoned the annual service debt owed by licensees, adding that the list will be forwarded to the Economic & Financial Crimes Commission to ensure that debtors pay or face the wrath of the law.

“This is to encourage due diligence and emphasise the consequences of inundating the license application processes with speculative activities.”

In the recommendation to the minister, the Director-General of the MCO, Simon Nkom, disclosed that there were 1,957 initial defaulters when the MCO published the intention to revoke licences in the Federal Government Gazette on June 19, 2025.

He informed the minister that the gazette was distributed to MCO offices nationwide to sensitise licencees and encourage them to comply within 30 days in compliance with the Minerals and Mining Act 2007 and relevant regulations.

He observed that the delay in the final recommendation was due to complaints of several licensees who claimed to have paid to the Federal Government through Remita and had to be reconciled.

Earlier this month, the DG MCO had hinted that more mining licences would be revoked as part of ongoing efforts to sanitise the solid minerals sector and protect investors from fraudsters.

According to Nkom, the clean-up exercise, which covers expired, speculative, and inactive titles, is necessary to make room for genuine investors and ensure compliance with the law.

This is part of ongoing efforts at sanitising the sector since the inception of the Tinubu administration, and the salutary effects of the reforms are massive and manifest despite the attempts to push back by defaulters and their agents.