Jesse and other adjourning communities in Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State is presently in crisis following an oil spill currently ravaging the community, 17 years after the biggest pipeline explosion in the country in the community killed over a thousand persons.
President General of Jesse community, Chief Austin Omonode, attributed the spill to a ruptured pipeline passing through the community, hinting that local vigilantes from the area, noticed the spill on Friday.
He said: “We can’t really tell the content of the spill but I think its a mixture of oil which has affected aquatic life and other farm produce in Jesse town, Atiwhor, Ugbomoya, Ajakatite and other surrounding communities.
“As I talk to you now, (Sunday), we are yet to see any official from the relevant various oil and governmental agencies or companies visiting the sites of the spill to curtail or monitor the extent of damages done so far.”
When the External Relations Officer for the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company, NPDC, Mr. Ugo Atugboko was contacted, she directed all enquiries to SEPLAT. According to her, the company was in charge of crude oil pipeline in the area. All attempts to reach SEPLAT’s General Manager, External Affairs and Communication, Mrs. Chioma Nwachukwu was fruitless at press time.
