By Tina Amanda
A crude oil spill was reported in Ogale, Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State on 3 February 2025, the same day President Bola Ahmed Tinubu signed the bill establishing the Federal University of Environmental Technology, Ogoni.
The bill, sponsored by Senator Barinaadaa Mpigi, aims to address environmental and technological challenges in the Niger Delta.
According to reports from members of the Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre’s (YEAC-Nigeria) “One Million Youth Volunteers Network of Human Rights Defenders and Promoters in the Niger Delta,” the oil spill allegedly occurred at the Ogale Manifold, a facility operated by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) of Nigeria.
Witnesses stated that after the spill filled underground pits, crude oil began flowing freely into the pipeline right-of-way, affecting Lot-1 of the Ogoni Cleanup Project under the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) of the Federal Ministry of Environment. The cause of the spill is suspected to be an equipment (valve) failure during maintenance work on the facility.
The incident reportedly escalated into violence when the President of Eleme Youths, Walter Olaka, allegedly led a group of armed men to the spill site. The group seized trucks being used to evacuate crude oil, assaulted some truck drivers, and injured several individuals, including Gift Gongogo Nene, who was reportedly stabbed in the head.
The seized trucks were later moved to the Eleme Council Secretariat.
In response to the spill and ensuing violence, YEAC-Nigeria, through its Crude Oil Spill Alert System (COSAS), has urged the Nigeria Police Force to investigate the clashes and restore peace. The organization has also called on the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) to conduct a joint investigation visit (JIV) to the site, invoke relevant sections of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), 2021, and ensure that containment and cleanup efforts are carried out.
Additionally, YEAC-Nigeria stressed the need for adequate compensation for farmers and residents whose economic crops and land have been affected by the spill.
In a statement issued from Port Harcourt, YEAC-Nigeria’s Executive Director, Dr. Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, emphasized the importance of urgent environmental action in Ogoniland, especially as the newly established university signals a shift toward environmental sustainability.
The coincidence of the oil spill with the establishment of the Federal University of Environmental Technology points out the ongoing environmental challenges in Ogoniland, reinforcing calls for stronger accountability and immediate remediation efforts.
