The integrity of the federal government’s multi-billion dollar Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) in Rivers State has been severely compromised following the collapse of a second newly commissioned water tank in under three weeks.
The latest incident, which occurred at the Obolo-Ebube community in the Eleme Local Government Area on Saturday, November 22, 2025, has sparked widespread calls for a full forensic audit of all contracts, raising critical questions about procurement oversight and contractor standards.
The water tank in Eleme, which was built by HYPREP to supply potable water to oil-impacted communities, was commissioned less than two months ago. Its collapse caused significant flooding in surrounding houses and destroyed valuable properties, though fortunately, no lives were lost. This disastrous failure comes just weeks after a similar incident in the Khana LGA, where a water tank in Gwara community collapsed barely four days after its official inauguration on Tuesday, November 4, 2025.
The twin collapses are viewed by industry stakeholders and community leaders as a clear indication of systemic failure in the project delivery chain. Critics allege that substandard contractors, some of whom may be politically connected, are being prioritized over companies with genuine technical capacity.
The President of the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP), Fegalo Nsuke, condemned the failures, stating the jobs were “poorly done by a certain substandard contractor without any recourse to durability.” The fact that a structure intended to be a lasting solution collapses within weeks of commissioning points directly to shoddy and half-baked workmanship that violates contract specifications and engineering best practices. Ogoni business owners and rights groups have described the incidents as a “national embarrassment” and an act of “economic sabotage.”
The economic fallout is two-fold: first, it represents a colossal waste of public funds allocated under the multi-billion dollar United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) remediation framework. Second, the destruction of surrounding private property and the failure to deliver essential services adds new financial stress to communities already struggling with environmental pollution.
Also see: FG Debunks Rumors of Nationwide School Shutdown
HYPREP’s Project Coordinator, Professor Nenibari Zabbey, has acknowledged the incidents and immediately constituted a high-level investigative committee to ascertain the cause, promising that “Whoever needs to be punished will be punished.” The agency has also pointed out that 16 other water stations have been successfully commissioned and are functioning, asserting its commitment to quality.
However, the recurrent, near-simultaneous failures have critically eroded public confidence. Leading Ogoni groups are demanding that the Federal Government declare a state of emergency on HYPREP’s contracts and initiate a forensic audit into all contractors and finances to ensure that the project funds deliver value for money and restore the credibility of one of Nigeria’s most significant environmental remediation investments. The collapses highlight the severe risks associated with a lack of transparency and rigorous quality control in major public procurement.
