Residents of Kpean community in Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State have called on the Federal Government to construct access roads to all locations leading to Oil Mining Lease (OML) 14 oil fields and to urgently decommission ageing oil wellheads blamed for repeated oil spills in the area.
The call was made on Monday, December 22, 2025, during a visit by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, who led a high-level federal delegation to the site of a recent oil spill at Yorla Well 14 in Ogoniland. The delegation included the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal; the Group Managing Director of NNPC Limited, Bashir Ojulari; and the Project Coordinator of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), Prof. Nenibarini Zabbey.
During the visit, women from the community staged a peaceful protest, displaying placards highlighting the devastating impact of oil pollution on their livelihoods. Some of the inscriptions read: “Our pregnant women suffer miscarriages due to oil spill effects,” “Our rivers and fish are destroyed,” “Sickness is now the order of the day,” and “We want compensation for our lost biodiversity.”
The Paramount Ruler of Kpean community, Chief (Engr.) Lucky Gbene Ewoh, described the oil wellheads in the area as obsolete, noting that many have been in use for over 30 years. He called for their immediate replacement, saying their deteriorated state was responsible for frequent equipment failure and oil spills.Chief Ewoh said the community welcomed the NSA’s visit, describing it as reassuring that senior government officials had come to see the environmental damage firsthand.
He appealed to the Federal Government to construct access roads to the about 18 oil field locations in Yorla, fence the facilities, and provide adequate security to prevent further incidents.In his remarks, NSA Ribadu stressed that oil spill incidents must not be allowed to recur, calling for enhanced surveillance and protection of critical oil assets across Ogoniland. He said the visit was part of efforts to assess environmental damage and strengthen inter-agency collaboration.
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He added that several projects recommended by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) were ongoing, including mangrove restoration, healthcare delivery, human capital development and women empowerment initiatives.
The Group Managing Director of NNPC Limited, Bashir Ojulari, assured stakeholders of the company’s commitment to comprehensive cleanup and remediation, following a detailed technical assessment of the affected areas.
Also speaking, Chief (Engr.) Chukwuemeka Woke, who represented the leadership of the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to restoring the polluted environment in line with its statutory mandate. He emphasized the importance of community engagement and cooperation in preventing and responding to oil spill incidents.
The oil spill at Yorla Well 14 reportedly persisted even after a Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) conducted on August 8, 2025, despite the identification of the spill source, raising further concerns among residents over delays in remediation efforts.
