Trans-Forcados Oil Spill: Oborevwori Orders Medical Intervention, Cleanup

Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, has ordered immediate medical intervention and urgent measures to tackle the impact of the oil spill along the Trans-Forcados pipeline, saying the state government would not allow the affected communities to suffer unnecessarily.

The governor issued the directive during an inspection visit to Odidi community in Warri South-West Local Government Area, where he told the State Commissioner for Health to deploy medical teams to the affected communities to assess residents and determine the health implications of the pollution.

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Oborevwori was accompanied on the visit by the Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Emomotimi Guwor; the Commissioner of Police, CP Samuel Erale; the Commander, 63 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Asaba, Brig.-Gen. Ibrahim Buhari; the Commander, Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Delta, Warri, Commodore Shehu Tasiu; the Commander, 3144 Operating Base, Nigerian Air Force, Warri, Group Capt. Charles Abara; the State Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), Dr. Peter Afunanya; and other senior government officials.

Governor orders medical, relief intervention for Oil Spill Communities

Saying the situation had become too serious to be treated casually, he said, “we have to take this matter seriously. Once you see what is happening, you realise that it is a very big issue. We don’t want our people dying at this time. We cannot afford to lose our focus or waste time. We have to act quickly and decisively”.

According to the governor, the intervention would go beyond the distribution of relief materials, stressing that residents must be medically examined because of the possible health consequences of prolonged exposure to pollution.

He also directed Heritage to deploy a medical team and provide relief materials. The medical teams, he said, would visit the affected communities, assess the environmental and health impact and determine the appropriate intervention, with the exercise covering other areas affected by the incident.

Oborevwori demanded genuine dialogue between the oil operator and the host communities, saying meaningful engagement was necessary to resolve the crisis and prevent further tension. He assured the communities that his administration would continue to engage the relevant stakeholders until their concerns were addressed, and commended the security agencies for maintaining peace during the intervention.

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Speaking to the affected residents, the governor disclosed that an initial assessment showed that about 86 communities were affected, but that the number had now risen to 216.

He said the operating company had assured the government that the technical process would be concluded and that cleanup would finish before the end of October, after which the affected communities would be engaged on compensation and other measures. He warned that the commitments made by the company must be honoured, adding that the government would take the necessary steps to ensure compliance.

The governor appealed to the communities to remain peaceful and law-abiding, stressing that the government would pursue the matter through dialogue and due process.

Oborevwori lamented that the pollution had severely affected fishing, the major source of livelihood for many residents, resulting in scarcity and increased prices of fish. He stressed that the crisis was not merely about compensation, but about restoring the environment, protecting human lives and safeguarding the livelihoods of the affected people.

He approved the construction of a landing jetty for Odidi Community and directed the Chairman of Warri South-West Local Government to build a modern health centre for the community. He also directed the Commissioners for Oil and Gas, Chief Peter Uviejitobor, and for Environment, Mr Moses Ogodo, to monitor the timeline on his directives to the oil company and report back to him.

Heritage pledges cooperation

Nelson Wilbert, General Manager, Operations Integrity, Heritage Energy Operational Services Limited (HEOSL), said the company was committed to working with the state government, host communities, NUPRC and other stakeholders to resolve the crisis.

Wilbert said the immediate priority was to complete the ongoing technical operations, including installation, stop the spill and pressure testing, required to restore normal operations safely. He added that the company would work with regulatory authorities and affected communities to assess the environmental damage, clean up impacted areas and provide appropriate compensation.

Ijaw youth council, community leader speak

President of the Ijaw Youth Council, Dr. Doubra Okotete, called for urgent action to halt the pollution, alleging that crude was still being pumped through leaking pipelines.

Okotete urged the authorities and oil operators to undertake comprehensive remediation and compensate affected residents, while calling for increased medical support, particularly for residents suffering respiratory problems.

Chairman of Odidi Community, Comrade Truston Gbenekama, thanked the governor for the visit and appealed for a landing jetty, health centre, potable water and environmental reclamation of the community.