Delta: Residents in Despair, Raise Alarm Over Humanitarian Impacts As Fresh Oil Spill Ravages Communities

By Joseph Bienbo, Warri

Residents of Ogulagha kingdom have cried out over a fresh oil spill in the kingdom in the Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State,as it threw the affected communities into despair.

The latest spill was reported on Sunday afternoon in the Okuntu community in Ogulagha Kingdom, where crude oil was seen coating the shoreline.

An environmentalist Comrade Moris Alagoa who also alerted Congress Correspondent said: “A strong oil presence was seen on the shores of the Okuntu community spreading across communities in the OGULAGHA kingdom Burutu LGA Delta state.”

The development comes barely 24 hours after a massive spill was reported in Odimodi territory in the same council area, spreading across Beniboye, Isiayegbene, Gbidipou and other communities.

For Okuntu residents, who are predominantly fishermen and women, the spill is a humanitarian emergency. Fishing gears, canoes and drinking water sources have been polluted, while women who depend on periwinkle picking and firewood gathering along the creeks say their livelihoods have been shut down overnight.

Community leaders are raising alarm over the health and humanitarian implications, warning that continued exposure to crude oil could trigger respiratory problems, skin infections and hunger as families can no longer go to sea.

They are calling on the Federal Government, NOSDRA, Delta State Government and the oil companies operating in Ogulagha Kingdom to urgently mobilize to the site, identify the source, stop the leak and commence immediate clean-up and relief.

However, as at the time of filing this report, the cause of the spill is yet to be ascertained and no official response has been received from any oil company or regulatory agency.