Urgent Call for Intervention as Fire Outbreak from Oil Spill Ravages Rivers State Community

The Environmental Defenders Network (EDEN) has urgently called for immediate intervention from relevant authorities to stop a devastating oil spill and subsequent fire outbreak between Bukuma and Buguma in Asari Toru Local Government Area, Rivers State. Describing the incident as an environmental assault, EDEN has condemned the prolonged disaster that has left the community in a state of peril.

In a statement issued by EDEN’s Media Manager, Elvira Jordan, the call for action follows a distress message sent to the organization by concerned residents early on the morning of January 13, 2025. The residents reported a raging fire at a wellhead that had been leaking crude oil since early January, worsening the already critical environmental situation.

An anonymous community member shared alarming details with EDEN, claiming the fire erupted after an Air Force helicopter was seen firing near the wellhead to disperse oil bunkerers.

EDEN’s Executive Director, Chima Williams, sharply criticized the Rivers State Ministry of Environment, the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), and other oil regulatory bodies for their failure to take swift action in addressing the spill. He termed the oversight as a blatant disregard for human and environmental rights.

“This disaster has put the local people in jeopardy as 2025 begins on a devastating note for them. In a functioning society, an oil spill should never last this long, especially with a fire outbreak that threatens both human and ecological life,” Williams stated.

Williams further stressed the grave health risks posed to the community, which is already struggling due to the contamination of the riverine environment. He urged the relevant authorities to fulfill their duty of safeguarding both the public and the environment from further harm.

In his call for action, Williams also appealed to the military to adopt more environmentally responsible tactics in addressing oil theft and bunkering, emphasizing the need for a sustainable approach to tackling these ongoing issues.