Metro

Pollution: Impacted Niger Delta Communities Pay Save Our Souls Visit to FIDA, CSOs

Published

2 years ago

April 6, 2023

By Joseph Ebi Kanjo, Benin

Residents of oil producing communities in the Niger Delta, who were majorly women, on Thursday, called on critical stakeholders to join in the forces against incessant pollution and violation of their fundamental rights by oil multinationals.

The residents from Odimodi, Focadus in Delta State travelled to Benin to join the Gelegbene community, Edo State in a meeting with the International Federal of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Civil Society Organisations, Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) and Community Development Foundation (CODAF).

These riverine communities appealed to the environmental activists and women lawyers to intervene and stop pollution of their environment, as well as marginalisation and supersession due to the operations of the oil multinationals.

Narrating the ordeal of the community at the gathering themed “Niger Delta Legal and Strategic Meeting for Fisher Folks”, facilitated by the CODAF in collaboration with ERA/FoEN, Mrs. Mary Fedigha from Gelegbene lamented that since Dubri Oil company began operations in the local, the environment had been seriously impacted.

She expressed dismay that the fishes, the residents used to catch before were no more.

“Since the oil company started operations in the Gelegbene community, we have been suffering. Before the oil company came, when we went to the river, we caught fish at ease and used it as trade by Barter in our neighbouring communities for goods.

“But since the oil company came, this is very difficult. You will tour from morning till evening yet you will not catch anything. You need to go several miles in search of fish before you catch a few,” she decried.

Fedigha also identified gas flaring in the middle of the community as another dangerous experience that they were exposed to in the community.

“All the buildings around the gas flare are in danger; the heat there is unbearable.

“Despite being an oil producing community, Gelegbene has no potable water, no hospital, no road. We are benefiting nothing from the oil company,” she said.

Sharing a similar sentiment, a retired Deputy Superintendent of Police, Fred Obi from Odimodi community in Delta State, related how he incurred loss due to pollution arising from the pollution in the area.

“I have a fishing yard and fish pond. I had my fishing pond at the bank of the river where I had different species of fishes, but when the river overflows it banks, it took away the fishes, so I moved to the upland to sink borehole and continue with my fishing ponds, but due to the pollution all my fishes died.

“What we are passing through is like hell on earth in Odimodi community,” he said.

Also Juliet Egbele, from Odimodi community, called the attention of the activists to an impending danger as a result of Trans-Raymond pipeline, whose lifespan, she said had elapsed.

“There is a pipeline running through the town, called Trans-Raymond; it is a 42 inch transparent pipeline.

“They said the pipe has only a 20 year lifespan; when the pipeline was over 25 years; we wrote to them, but they didn’t respond.

“When it got to 30 years, the pipeline started giving problems. It bursted in 2018 on its own due to old age. This incident affected us a lot. it got to an extent that having easy breathing became an issue.

“We are dying, we breathe in hell, we are dying. They should come and do their clean up properly.

“Though Shell paid the community in 2018 for impact made, they refused to pay individuals for their claims.

“There is an opposite fishing camp called Beinmogbene community, due to pollution, women cannot fish there anymore.

“The women have complained but to no avail. The place has an offensive odour that no one can go near there anymore.

“This is a pollution that was discovered since the 1960s, but till now nothing has been done.

“We are appealing to all human rights activists to help us. We can be a host community, without being sick.

“We are battling with sickness as a host community,” she lamented.

On his part, a former Publication Relations Officer, Odimodi community, Mr. Godwin Awese said, “despite the fact that we are oil producing community, none of our children are taken to abroad for study, but their children and their representatives are taken to abroad for study and after graduation employed into the office.

“Whenever we want to protest, they use the military to intimidate us, and even kill some of us.

“Whenever an oil spill occurs and we hear about it, they deny us access to take photographs by intimidating us. And sometimes, they even pour chemicals on such spillage to wipe it before we get there.”

Also lending his voice, Mr. Romeo Ekpoteme from Focadus community, Delta State, said “Shell operation started at Focadus river over 60 years ago, but the community remained the same.

“Anytime it rains, the crude oil gushes out. The heat in Focadus despite being a riverine community is unbearable.

“This is because the Ozone layer has been destroyed by activities of oil companies. Crops can no longer grow well.”

Responding, Executive Director, ERA/FoEN, Barr. Chima Williams stressed the need for synergy, promising that his organisation wouldl give every necessary support to make sure justice is served to the oil producing community.

He added that he was passionate about their conditions.

On her part, FIDA Chairperson in Edo State, Violet Olumese, said “We are very must aware of your plights and we are passionate in giving the necessary support.”

Earlier, Mr. Benin Richard, Executive Director, CODAF, said the things he saw when he visited Odimodi community were “devastating and very difficult to comprehend.

He appealed to FIDA to add the environmental components to their work.

Contacted, a representative of Dubri Oil Company who does not want her name in print said: said: “I want you to go there and see for yourself, seeing is believing. As I speak with you, we pump water to the community every morning. We provide 12 hours light to them every day.”

On Dubri Oil Gas Flow Station sited in the middle of the community, she noted “I want to tell you that the houses met it there. The Flow Station was sited there by Philip Oil company in the early 70s. The company opened the place up, and the people started building around the flow station. And when Dubri bought the company, the Flow Station was retained there because we can’t move it.”

But when INFO DAILY contacted one of Shell Oil Company Community Liaison Officer (CLO), Mr. James Abule, he said he has been off from work for three months hence he can’t comment.

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Metro

Woman Killed, Five Others Injured In Imo Market Explosion

Published

2 hours ago

June 26, 2025

Editor

A landmine has killed a market woman, Mrs Ngozi Umeh and injured five others after it detonated inside the Eke Ubaheze Market Square, Awo-Idemili in Orsu Local Government Area of Imo State.

The explosion occurred at 2:40 pm on Tuesday while trading activities were going on at the market, killing one woman, Mrs Ngozi Umeh, from Ubaheze village, after she stepped on a planted landmine though locals said it was two people who died from the explosion.

The Imo State police spokesperson, Henry Okoye, explained to The PUNCH, on Wednesday, that the landmine was planted by suspected members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra and Eastern Security Network.

Okoye who confirmed the incident to our correspondent said Mrs Umeh was rushed immediately to the hospital where she gave up the ghost adding that the five injured persons are currently receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital.

According to him, the state Commissioner of Police, Aboki Danjuma, upon receipt of the incident, immediately deployed operatives from the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit who swept the area for yet-to-be-identified explosives and after screening, declared the place safe.

Okoye said normal business activities had resumed under increased police surveillance.

He said, “Preliminary investigation revealed that the explosion occurred when Ngozi Umeh ‘F’, a middle-aged woman from Ubaheze village, stepped on a landmine suspected to have been planted by IPOB/ESN terrorist. She was critically injured and later confirmed dead at the hospital, while five others sustained varying degrees of injuries and are receiving medical attention.

“Upon receipt of the distress call, the Commissioner of Police, Imo State Command, Aboki Danjuma, swiftly deployed operatives of the command’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit, tactical teams, and personnel from Orsu and Orlu Divisions to cordon off the area, evacuate victims, and sweep the market vicinity for any other planted IEDs. The area has since been declared safe, and normal activities have resumed under enhanced security surveillance.”

Meanwhile, the Imo police boss, Danjuma, has commiserated with the family of Mrs Umeh and prayed for the quick recovery of the injured victims.

He however restated the commitment of the Imo State Police Command to weed out all criminals threatening the peace of Orsu and Imo State as a whole.

The police spokesperson assured the state that adequate security measures had been put in place against a recurrence adding that they should go about their lawful activities.

Furthermore, he called on Imo people to strongly report any suspicious items, persons, or movements to the nearest police station or via the Command’s emergency number 08034773600.

Also, the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Criminal Investigation Department has been directed to commence a comprehensive investigation to unmask and apprehend the perpetrators.

Metro

20 Soldiers, Scores Of Bandits Die In Niger Clash

Published

2 hours ago

June 26, 2025

Editor

We lost 17 men, not 20 —Army

No fewer than 20 soldiers were reportedly killed by bandits, who stormed two military camps in Mariga Local Government Area of Niger State on Tuesday while several others were injured.

However, an unspecified number of the bandits were gunned down by the soldiers during the gun battle that ensued.

But the army said 17 soldiers were killed in the encounter.

Seventeen corpses of the soldiers were, however, said to have been recovered from the bush while the search for the recovery of others continues.

This came as the Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, Gen. Christopher Musa, at a different event, said the military was set to deploy over 800 well-trained and combat-ready special forces into operational areas to tackle a myriad of security challenges facing the nation.

Vanguard gathered that the bandits numbering over 200 rode on motorcycles and invaded two military camps in Kwanan Duse and Gulbin Boka communities in Mariga council of the state in the morning.

According to a source from the area, the bandits’ first point of call was the military camp at Kwanan Duse, where they engaged the security men in a fierce gun battle, which lasted for about four hours.

It was gathered that the chairman of the Mariga council, Abbas Adamu, immediately alerted the Military Cantonment in Kontagora for reinforcement, while the gun battle at Kwanan Duse was going on.

In a swift response, the soldiers from Kontagora took off but before their arrival at the Kwanan Dutse camp, the bandits had left for Gulbin Boka camp for another onslaught against the soldiers.

However, the soldiers engaged the bandits in a fierce gun battle at Gulbin Boka camp where some of the bandits were felled by the bullets.

Adamu, who confirmed the incident said the gunmen were suspected to have invaded the state from Zamfara, through the Shadadi forest.

He said: “We got the information about their movement and we immediately alerted the Military but we did not actually know where they were heading to.

“Surprisingly, about 9:30a.m., on Tuesday, we learnt they were already attacking the soldiers at Kwanan Duse.

“The bandits did not kidnap anybody but lives were lost, shops looted at Gulbin Boka town while several cattle were rustled from the neighbouring communities.

“From all indications, the aim of the bandits was to dislodge the military from their camps and have unhindered access to some communities in the council because since the soldiers were stationed there, the bandits have been prevented from frequent attacks on the communities.”

Head of vigilante group in the area, Mallam Abubakar Sani also confirmed the incident but could not ascertain the casualty figure on the side of the bandits.

Meanwhile, the military in conjunction with the local vigilante have mobilised to Gulbin Boka forest along Kontagora-Rijau road suspected to be the hideouts of the bandits.

At press time, no official statement has been issued by either the state government or the military.

We lost 17 men —Army

Lieutenant Colonel Apolonia Anele, Acting Director, Army Public Relations in a statement, said that the troops in collaboration with the Air Component of the Nigerian Air Force, engaged bandits numbering over 300 in Kwanar Dutse Forest.

He said: “Sadly 17 brave and gallant soldiers paid the supreme price during the encounter, while 10 others sustained varying degrees of injury.

“The wounded personnel have been evacuated to a military medical facility, where they are receiving treatment and are in stable condition.”

(VANGUARD)