News

Oil Spill: Declare Environmental Emergency On Odimodi Community Now, Environmental Rights Action Urges FG, Shell

Published

2 years ago

September 5, 2022

Editor

By Joseph Ebi Kanjo

The Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria has called on the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria to declare an environmental emergency on Odimodi community, Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State.

ERA/FoEN call followed a devastation caused by toxic spills from Shell Petroleum Development Company facilities in the community.

According to a statement signed by the organization’s Programme Manager, Ubrei-Joe Maimoni Mariere, and made available to INFO DAILY, the spill, which occurred mid-August, has caused the death of hundreds of fish along the creek of the Odimodi community among other environmental and health hazards posed to the community.

The statement added that the community had reported to ERA/FoEN that a spill of waste petroleum products that spewed from Shell’s waste disposal pipeline that carries products from the Forcados Shell’s terminal down to the high sea had occured.

Mariere in the statement noted that the faulty pipeline has been in the community for more than five decades and consistently leaks waste petroleum products from the valves of the pipeline.

ERA/FoEN, in the statement lamented that the vegetation of the environment where these droplets are found and water body is constantly brownish in color.

“This incident was reported by motorcyclists who noticed the massive spilling of the waste petroleum products into the creeks to the community. This alarm necessitated ERA/FoEN to ascertain how far the waste petroleum products have spread and the havoc it has wreaked on the creek,” ERA/FoEN stated.

According to ERA/FoEN, going by observation, Odimodi community has become a polluted colony with unaddressed crude oil spillage of 2018 and the August 19, 2022 waste water spillage.

The organisation further lamented that despite the fact that the people relied on fishing as their major sources of livelihoods, “Shell inaction has continued to wreak havoc on the people’s fishing economy. “

ERA/FoEN, in the statement insisted that Shell, must as a matter of urgency, return to the community to conduct post impact assessment and put machinery in place to clean up all affected areas in the community by the crude spillage of 2018 and the present pollution from the waste water disposal pipeline.

It added ”All ongoing oil-induced inter and intra community conflicts should be resolved with all fairness. Affected people of the community should be compensated for the economic hardship meted on them by the oil industries.”

All efforts to get Shell’s reaction proved abortive.

News

JUST IN: Another Rivers Commissioner Resigns, Cites Toxicity In Fubara’s Cabinet

Published

10 mins ago

May 15, 2024

Editor

The Rivers State Commissioner for Housing, Gift Worlu, has tendered his resignation from Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s administration.

His resignation was contained in a letter dated May 15 and directed to the governor, through the office of the secretary to the state government, Tammy Danagogo.

Worlu is the second commissioner to resign from the state cabinet today.

News

JUST IN: Rivers Commissioner Mmom Resigns, Cites Toxicity In Fubara’s Cabinet

Published

22 mins ago

May 15, 2024

Editor

The Rivers State Commissioner for Education, Professor Chinedu Mmon, has resigned from the cabinet of Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

Mmon, a loyalist of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, is the third reappointed Commissioner to tender his resignation.

Before Mmom, the former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Professor Zacchaeus Adangor, and former Commissioner for Finance, Isaac Kamalu, resigned their appointments a few weeks ago.

Both Adangor and Kamalu resigned after Fubara directed that they should be redeployed to the Ministry of Special Duties (Governor’s Office) and Ministry for Employment Generation and Empowerment, respectively.

The former Commissioner of Education, in a letter dated May 25, 2024, and addressed to the governor through the Secretary to the State Government said he was resigning because his current workspace had become toxic.

A copy of Prof Chinedu’s resignation letter.
The letter reads in part, “I write to formally tender my resignation as a member of the Rivers State Executive Council as the Honourable Commissioner for Education with effect from today, May 15, 2024.

“It is a truism that a calm and friendly environment would stimulate efficient service delivery and enhanced productivity. It is, however, unfortunate to note that my current workspace has become toxic and no longer guarantees a favorable environment to enable me to realize my set targets for the education sector in the state.

“There is a loss of trust, animosity, and sharp division among colleagues in the same cabinet, which is unhealthy and very unfortunate.

“I want to thank Your Excellency for the opportunity to serve in your cabinet and wish you well in your administration.”

The commission, however, pleaded to his supporters and well-wishers to accept his decision to resign from the governor’s cabinet in good faith.

“My decision might not go down well with most of you, but it is best given the prevailing circumstances. Many thanks for your understanding,” he wrote on his Facebook.

News

Man Sets Mosque, Worshippers Ablaze In Kano

Published

1 hour ago

May 15, 2024

Editor

A 38-year-old man identified as Shafi’u Abubakar on Wednesday set ablaze a mosque while worshippers were praying in Gezawa area of Kano State.

Information gathered revealed that Abubakar locked up the mosque, splashed petrol, and set the mosque ablaze when the worshippers were performing the early morning prayers, Subhi prayers, in the mosque.

Confirming the development, the spokesperson of the Kano State Police Command, SP Abdullahi Haruna, said it has arrested the principal suspect behind the incident, adding that no death has been recorded so far.

SP Haruna explained that the suspect said he carried out the action to take vengeance on persons who cheated him during the sharing of inheritance.

He, however, said the scene of the incident has been cordoned off, and twenty-four (24) victims, including 20 male adults and 4 male children, were removed and rushed to Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital Kano, where they are currently receiving treatment.

According to him, “Today, 15/05/2024 at about 0520hrs, reports were received that, there was an explosion at a mosque in Gadan Village, Gezawa LGA, Kano State, during “Subhi Prayer,” and that some people got injured.

“On receipt of the report, the Commissioner of Police, Kano State Command, CP Mohammed Usaini Gumel, immediately deployed the command’s combined teams consisting of experts in Explosive Ordnance Disposal Chemical Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (EOD-CBRN) led by CSP Haruna Isma’il and other Crime-Scene Policemen led by Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Gezawa Division, CSP Haruna Iliya.

“The scene was cordoned off, and twenty-four (24) victims, including 20 Male Adults and 4 Male Children were removed and rushed to Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital Kano, where they are currently receiving treatment.

“Forensic analysis at this preliminary stage revealed a suspected petrol explosion, of which full investigation ongoing.

“The principal suspect have been identified and arrested; he is Shafi’u Abubakar, aged 38, who said his action was purely in hostility following prolong family disagreement over sharing of inheritance, of which those that he alleged to have cheated on him were in the mosque at that moment, and he did that for his voice to be heard.

“While the suspect is currently in police custody, detail investigation is ongoing and will be made public in due course,” SP Haruna stated.