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

Published

3 years ago

January 24, 2023

Scene of the polluted areas

By Joseph Ebi Kanjo

The need to protect and preserve the environment, and respect for human rights took centre stage in Odimodi community during a two-day capacity building seminar organised by a Non-governmental Organisation-Community Development Foundation (CODAF).

Odimodi, an agrarian and fishing community, in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State, houses Ward 11 with an estimated population of five thousand (5,000), persons, in no fewer than 13 polling units.

Unfortunately, due to the oil exploration and exploitation activities of multinational companies particularly in the area of pollution of the environment and outright disregard for human rights, the fishing and agricultural activities of dwellers of this community is under threat.

It is worthy to note that the community has one government healthcare centre, which many regard as ‘non-functional.’ According to them, the healthcare centre has no personnel and for drugs apart from Paracetamol, it has no other drugs. Findings showed that the healthcare centre has only one nurse employed by the community. That is, no government staff in the healthcare centre.

Worried by all these and particularly the unabated pollution of oil-rich Odimodi and neighbouring communities and the consequent violation of rights of its dwellers, CODAF, recently organised a Town Hall Meeting/Training to enlighten community dwellers, particularly women about how they can actualise their rights and hold multinationals such as Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited, Nigeria Agip Oil Company and others more accountable.

For CODAF, the outright violation of human rights and pollution of the environment with no regard to the well-being of the people must stop.

Speaking at the Town Hall Meeting and enlightenment campaign, Executive Director, CODAF, Mr. Richard Benin said his organisation was concerned about the well-being of the people and the need to respect their rights. He told them that his organisation’s past activities in the community about pollution by oil companies and disregard for their rights had already caught attention of stakeholders across the globe.

“We were here in 2021, and in 2022 we were here too, and this is 2023, we are here. I want to gladly announce to your that the plight of Odimodi has caught world attention. We were here in 2022 during the COP27 which was held in Egypt, and we made a shot video and sent online. Odimodi was discussed in that meeting in Egypt. Your matter was discussed. I want to assure you that we as an NGO will not relent until the right thing is done,” Benin assured.

Group photograph of the participants at the training.

In a response on behalf of the community, Vice Chairman of Odimodi, Chief Isepagha Willie, thanked Mr. Richard and his team for fighting the course of the community by coming up with such a development, adding that it will benefit the community a lot.

He lamented that since the inception of Shell operations in the area, all what they used to have in abundance such as fishes, farm produce, etc are no more.

“Because of Shell operations, we have nothing left. All what we you used to have, we are having none. we are suffering,” lamented.

Odimodi Women Lament, Want Shell To Be Responsible

Some women of Odimodi who are majorly into fishing and farming decried Shell operations and outright disregard for their rights, as they called on the multinational to rise up to its Corporate Social Responsibility by providing jobs to indigenes of the community.

Chairlady, Odimodi community, Mrs. Silver Michael, who is a business woman said: “We are suffering. Majority of us fish to train our children in school but activities of oil companies have spoil this, we no more catch fish, and that is why I decided to go into business. We can’t farm anymore to train our children. These are the things community women rely on for a survival. We don’t even have drinkable water. We are into hunger.”

While lamenting that all efforts to make sure Shell doing the right thing had proved abortive, Mrs Michael called on the oil company to provide the woman and youths job so they can use that to cater for themselves and family.

She also urged Shell to provide fishing net, fishing hooks and other things used in fishing to those that are into fishing.

Also lamenting, Mrs Alagua Monday said due to operations of Shell, everywhere is being taken over by crude oil spill.

“Even when you deep your paddle into the water, all what you push out is crude oil, Shell has spoil our river. Fishes in the river are all affected with the crude oil spill. Had it been I know you are coming, I would have kept some fishes from the river for you. You would have seen the mystery I am talking about. Due to oil spill, we now caught fishes that are rotten from the middle to the tail while middle to the head dangle for survival. This is impossible if not for the oil spill. Nothing is working. We are dying of hunger.”

She demanded: “Shell should give us portable water because we do not have water to drink. The one we have is causing us sickness because of the oil pollution. More so, we need a standard hospital or healthcare centre. We do not have any, hence people die before they are rushed out of the community for the next hospital.”

Another pathetic story is a 72-year-old Vero Anoda, a fisherwoman who had leg infractions while fishing in a spot heavy oil spill had occurred. According to her, she fell into the spot and was rescued out. She lamented that since then her children and other well-meaning indigenes of the community have spent a lot on her. She further lamented that Shell has not deem it fit to visit her one day. She called on the oil company to come to her aid.

A cross section of women trained in Odimodi by CODAF.

On his part, former Public Relations Officer, Odimodi community, Mr. Godwin Awese, due to activities of Shell and its consequent pollution of the area, his agriculture are not productive as they ought to be.

While taking members of the NGO and the media round his farm, Awese said: “Look at this plantain three, the leaves are yellow rather than being green, and it is stunted, this is because of the crude oil pollution. It can’t grow how it ought to be. Look at this plantain fruits, it is already having a yellow colour and it is not well matured. All these anomalies is due to the pollution. We can’t get any good farm produce to the pollution,” he lamented.

Calls put out across to Shell Community Liaison Officer, Mrs Ann Utuedor, by INFO DAILY were not picked neither did she reply to SMS sent to her Cell Phone.

Headline

Aircraft Crashes In Owerri With Four Persons Onboard

Published

1 day ago

December 17, 2025

Editor

Photo: File copy

A Cessna 172 aircraft with registration number 5N-ASR, operated by Skypower Express, has crashed at the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport, Owerri, Imo State.

The aircraft had departed Kaduna International Airport en route to Port Harcourt International Airport before diverting to Owerri after the crew declared an emergency.

The crash occurred at about 8:00 pm on the airport premises, with four passengers and crew members onboard.

Confirming the incident, the Director, Public Affairs and Family Assistance of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), Mrs. Bimbo Oladeji, said the agency had been notified of the crash.

According to the NSIB, the aircraft crashed on the approach area of Runway 17, but no fatalities have been recorded so far.

The statement said: “Following the occurrence, airport emergency services were successfully activated and arrived on site promptly. Reports indicate that there was no post-crash fire, and the runway remains active for flight operations, with other aircraft taking off safely after the incident.

“Efforts are currently underway to coordinate the recovery and evacuation of the distressed aircraft from the crash site to allow for a detailed wreckage examination.”

The NSIB said it has officially activated its investigation protocols in line with its statutory mandate

The Director-General of NSIB, Capt. Alex Badeh Jr., sympathised with the management of Skypower Express over the incident and expressed relief that no lives were lost.

Badeh Jr. added that the Bureau’s investigation team is already coordinating with relevant authorities to secure the crash site and commence a detailed investigation into the cause of the accident.

Two days ago, 11 persons narrowly escaped death as a private jet crash-landed at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, on Sunday morning.

The occupants, including passengers and cabin crew, were safely evacuated amid an intense atmosphere, eyewitnesses told The Guardian.

The private jet, owned by Flybird Aviation, crash-landed at about 9:30 a.m. while approaching Kano Airport en route to Abuja.

The incident attracted urgent attention, with emergency staff and other stakeholders converging at the runway to render rescue operations.

The management of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) is yet to release an official statement on the incident. Unofficial sources disclosed that the passengers have been taken to an unknown destination.

Several aircraft incidents have occurred at Kano Airport, with several lives lost.

The last incident occurred in May 2002, when an EAS Airline aircraft departed the runway at Aminu Kano International Airport at 1:29 p.m. local time en route to Lagos.

Headline

Musk Breaks Record As First Person Worth Over $600 Billion

Published

1 day ago

December 16, 2025

Editor

Elon Musk, Chief Executive Officer of SpaceX, Tesla, and xAI, has reached a new personal wealth milestone, surpassing a net worth of $600 billion, driven primarily by a recent valuation increase of SpaceX.

The development makes Musk the first individual in history to exceed the US$600 billion threshold.

According to Bloomberg’s Billionaires Index, Musk’s net worth stood at approximately $638 billion as of 15 December 2025, with the increase largely attributed to SpaceX, which was recently valued at around $800 billion following an insider share sale.

The privately held aerospace company, based in Starbase, Texas, is now considered the most valuable private firm globally, significantly boosting Musk’s personal holdings.

Musk’s stake in Tesla, estimated at roughly 12 per cent, is valued at nearly $200 billion, while his majority ownership of xAI Holdings is estimated at $60 billion.

Collectively, these assets place him on track to potentially approach US$700 billion, widening the gap between him and the world’s second-richest individual, former Google CEO Larry Page, valued at $265 billion.

The SpaceX valuation comes ahead of a projected public listing in 2026, which could see the company valued at approximately $1.5 trillion.

“Other shareholder meetings are snooze-fests but ours are bangers. Look at this. This is sick,” Musk said in November during Tesla’s shareholder meeting, referring to a performance-linked pay package approved by investors.

He added, “I super appreciate it.” The package, potentially worth up to US$1 trillion in stock, is tied to market-capitalisation and operational milestones over the next decade.

SpaceX’s Starlink satellite network has also contributed to investor confidence. The company continues to expand high-speed internet access to underserved regions worldwide.

Chad Gibbs, Vice President of Starlink Operations, stated that the satellite technology “bypasses the need to build massive amounts of infrastructure,” allowing broader and faster connectivity.

Musk’s ascent in personal wealth follows years of strategic risk-taking and long-term planning, with Tesla’s focus on electric vehicles, battery technology, and autonomous systems laying the foundation for his financial growth.

Analysts note that the combination of SpaceX’s soaring valuation, Tesla’s long-term incentives, and Musk’s diverse portfolio underpins his current status as the world’s wealthiest individual.

Headline

South Korea, Japan Protest China, Russia Aircraft Incursions

Published

1 week ago

December 10, 2025

Editor

South Korea and Japan reacted furiously on Wednesday after Chinese and Russian military aircraft conducted joint patrols around the two countries, with both Seoul and Tokyo scrambling jets.

South Korea said it had protested with representatives of China and Russia, while Japan said it had conveyed its “serious concerns” over national security.

According to Tokyo, two Russian Tu-95 nuclear-capable bombers on Tuesday flew from the Sea of Japan to rendezvous with two Chinese H-6 bombers in the East China Sea, then conducted a joint flight around the country.

The incident comes as Japan is locked in a dispute with China over comments Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi made about Taiwan.

The bombers’ joint flights were “clearly intended as a show of force against our nation, Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi wrote on X Wednesday.

Top government spokesman Minoru Kihara said that Tokyo had “conveyed to both China and Russia our serious concerns over our national security through diplomatic channels”.

Seoul said Tuesday the Russian and Chinese warplanes entered its air defence zone and that a complaint had been lodged with the defence attaches of both countries in the South Korean capital.

“Our military will continue to respond actively to the activities of neighbouring countries’ aircraft within the KADIZ in compliance with international law,” said Lee Kwang-suk, director general of the International Policy Bureau at Seoul’s defence ministry, referring to the Korea Air Defence Identification Zone.

South Korea also said it deployed “fighter jets to take tactical measures in preparation for any contingencies” in response to the Chinese and Russian incursion into the KADIZ.

The planes were spotted before they entered the air defence identification zone, defined as a broader area in which countries police aircraft for security reasons but which does not constitute their airspace.

Japan’s defence ministry also scrambled fighter jets to intercept the warplanes.

Beijing later Tuesday confirmed it had organised drills with Russia’s military according to “annual cooperation plans”.

Moscow also described it as a routine exercise, saying it lasted eight hours and that some foreign fighter jets followed the Russian and Chinese aircraft.

Since 2019, China and Russia have regularly flown military aircraft into South Korea’s air defence zone without prior notice, citing joint exercises.

In November last year, Seoul scrambled jets as five Chinese and six Russian military planes flew through its air defence zone.

Similar incidents occurred in June and December 2023, and in May and November 2022.

Meanwhile, Tokyo said Monday it had scrambled jets in response to repeated takeoff and landing exercises involving fighter jets and military helicopters from China’s Liaoning aircraft carrier as it cruised in international waters near Japan.

It also summoned Beijing’s ambassador after military aircraft from the Liaoning locked radar onto Japanese jets, the latest incident in the row ignited by Takaichi’s comments backing Taiwan.

Takaichi suggested last month that Japan would intervene militarily in any Chinese attack on the self-ruled island, which Beijing claims as its own and has not ruled out seizing by force.

AFP