A major oil spill has been reported in the Ikata community, located in Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State, Nigeria, resulting in widespread damage to local crops and the environment.
The spill, which occurred early yesterday, involved a 14-inch pipeline operated by Renaissance Africa Energy Company Ltd (RAEC). The pipeline is situated along the Okordia-Rumuekpe corridor, an area known for its oil infrastructure.
RAEC, a company that reportedly acquired Shell Petroleum Development Company’s Nigerian assets in a $2.4 billion divestment deal, is under scrutiny following the spill.
The Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria) confirmed the incident in a statement from its Executive Director, Dr. Fyneface Fyneface. The group’s volunteers, who monitor the region through its Crude Oil Spill Alert System (COSAS) and the One Million Youth Volunteers Network, were the first to report the leak.
According to YEAC-Nigeria, the oil spill appears to be the result of third-party interference. Volunteers at the scene reported that the pipeline was deliberately damaged by vandals who dug into the ground and tampered with the 14-inch pipeline, causing it to spill crude oil into the surrounding environment.
The group warned that the spill has caused significant ecological damage, affecting nearby farmlands and exacerbating environmental degradation in the region. Dr. Fyneface has called on the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) to launch a Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) to assess the damage and determine the exact cause of the spill.
He also urged NOSDRA to enforce the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) of 2021, holding the responsible parties accountable for their actions.
Efforts to reach the Police Public Relations Officer of Rivers State, Grace Iringe-Koko, for comment were unsuccessful. The incident further highlights the ongoing environmental and security challenges in the Niger Delta region, where pipeline vandalism remains a serious concern.