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.

READ ALSO: Spill: Odimodi Community Decries Abandonment Of Broken Valve By Shell

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.

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

“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.

READ ALSO: Pollution: Respect For Human, Environmental Rights Take Centre Stage As NGO Organises Capacity Building In Delta Community

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.

READ ALSO: FG, Oil Majors Insensitive To Niger Deltans Plights – NGO

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.