Explore the ongoing clash between NNPCL/SPDC and host communities over the Rivers gas well fire in Buguma. Learn about the causes, community demands, and calls for environmental remediation and accountability.
The fire outbreak at the OML 008 gas well in Buguma, Asari-Toru Local Government Area, Rivers State, has sparked a dispute between the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited/Shell Petroleum Development Company (NNPCL/SPDC) and the host communities. The devastating explosion has left the impacted communities and the oil companies trading accusations over its cause.
Operators Blame Oil Bunkerers, Communities Cite Negligence
While NNPCL/SPDC attributed the incident to the activities of oil bunkerers, the local youth group, the Impacted States Youth Council of Nigeria, accused the operators of neglecting routine maintenance of oil infrastructure.
Fiawei Pathfinder, President of the youth council, argued that the incident could have been avoided if the companies had conducted regular inspections and maintenance of pipelines and other facilities located in the saltwater swamp.
“The fire incident that has plunged Buguma and its environs into a terrible situation could have been avoided had the NNPCL/SPDC JV carried out quarterly checks on the pipelines and oil infrastructures in the salty swamp water where these pipelines and other facilities have been laid for decades,” Pathfinder stated.
He further alleged that NNPCL/SPDC failed to respond promptly to the fire, leaving the community to bear the brunt of the devastation.
A Call for Accountability and Remediation
The youth leader emphasized that the oil infrastructure in the region has become obsolete due to years of neglect.
“These oil infrastructures have decayed, and there is no proper structure to ascertain if they are in good shape because these pipelines have been laid for over how many decades without maintenance,” Pathfinder explained.
The youth council has put forward several demands to address the crisis:
- Immediate Community Support: Construction of housing and healthcare facilities for the Buguma community and surrounding areas.
- Presidential Intervention: A panel of inquiry, comprising experts from the presidency, law enforcement, and the Ministry of Justice, should be established to investigate the root cause of the fire outbreak.
- Environmental Remediation: The waterways and the surrounding ecosystem must be cleaned up, and decayed oil infrastructure should be replaced urgently.
- Compensation: The companies should compensate the affected communities and provide access to clean pipe-borne water.
The Need for Swift Action
The youth council’s demands highlight the urgency of addressing the environmental and social impacts of the explosion on the Buguma community and the Kalabari Kingdom. The affected communities are major oil and gas producers, contributing significantly to Nigeria’s economy, yet they remain vulnerable to disasters caused by deteriorating infrastructure.
The call for government intervention underscores the need for transparency, accountability, and proactive measures to prevent future incidents.
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