“Enough Is Enough” — Nembe Residents Demand Thorough Probe After Crude Leak Into Santa Barbara River

An oil spill from an 8-inch crude delivery pipeline at Oil Mining Lease 29 (OML 29) has polluted Nembe communities along the Santa Barbara River in Bayelsa State. The OML 29 asset is operated by Nembe Exploration and Production Company Limited, formerly Aiteo Eastern Exploration and Production Company Limited.

The leak, which occurred on October 1 in the Tora area of Nembe, discharged an undetermined volume of crude into the river and surrounding areas, according to a report by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

In a letter addressed to the operator of OML 29, the legal counsel to the Opu Nembe Kingdom, Mr. Iniruo Wills, Managing Partner of Ntephe Smith and Wills, stated that the spill has severely impacted residents who rely on the Santa Barbara River for their livelihoods.

The letter was in response to an invitation for a Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) scheduled by the oil firm to assess the cause and extent of the spill. While the company initially proposed October 6 for the JIV, the Nembe communities requested a rescheduling to October 9 to ensure adequate notice and assembly of a competent investigation team.

“We remind you that the community requires and deserves decent notice to assemble a competent JIV team, some of whom usually come from Lagos, Port Harcourt, and/or Yenagoa, to ensure due diligence and prevent manipulation of the investigation process,” the letter read in part.

The community further demanded swift post-spill assessment and remediation, as well as a high-level engagement involving the company, community technical team, and regulators to establish a lasting framework to prevent future spills.

This incident adds to a series of recurring oil spills in Bayelsa communities, including areas like Obololi and Ogboinbiri, which have resulted in environmental contamination, loss of livelihoods from fish farms and farmlands, and health concerns such as water scarcity. Previous spills, often linked to equipment failures on pipelines operated by companies including Oando and Shell, have left residents frustrated due to inadequate cleanup and the spread of pollution into streams, creeks, and farmland.

The oil firm had confirmed the spill in a letter (Ref: NEPCo/HSE-JIV/2025/04) dated October 5 and proposed the initial JIV date of October 6. NAN reports that the communities remain resolute in ensuring a thorough investigation and proper management of the incident.