Akwa Ibom residents raise fresh alarm as abandoned oil wells wreak havoc

Residents of Ikono and Ibiono Ibom Local Government Areas in Akwa Ibom State have raised fresh concerns about the dangers posed by abandoned oil wells spilling crude oil into their communities. Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, drilled and capped the oil wells in the 1950s, deeming them commercially unviable. However, no oil company has returned to the capped sites since then, reports Monday Pulse.

Village Council Chairman of Ntan Mbat in Ibiono Ibom, Friday John, said a new seepage point now discharges crude oil in large quantities. The community, which did not understand the implications of oil pollution before HOMEF's intervention, now documents and reports the spills. The impact has been severe, with roofing sheets lasting only five years, palm trees failing to produce fruit, and crops like cocoyam, cassava, and yams withering before harvest.

Aquatic life has also vanished, and villagers suffer from various diseases, including cancer and high blood pressure, attributed to the pollution.

Bassey Henry of Uyo Afaha Nkan Village in Ikono described the extent of the damage: "Roofing sheets in the area do not last up to five years, while palm trees have stopped producing fruits as they once did. Crops such as cocoyam, cassava and yam often withered in the ground before harvest. While okro and other vegetables cannot have good yield in the area." He added that millipedes, snails, and fishes have gone extinct due to the pollution's effects on the environment.

Another villager, Namonso Nya, lamented that living beside these corked well heads has resulted in barren farmlands, poisoned streams, and the extinction of aquatic life. There is also a lack of basic facilities such as hospitals, roads, and clean drinking water, leading to fear of traveling to seek medical help.

Dr Nnimmo Bassey, Executive Director of HOMEF, stated that abandoned oil wells are "ticking time bombs" that threaten the environment, health, and livelihoods. He emphasized the need for proper decommissioning and monitoring of these wells, calling for environmental justice. HOMEF is demanding that the Federal Government, SPDC, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC, and the Akwa Ibom State Government address outstanding claims concerning the abandoned Ikono 1 well, including environmental remediation, compensation, and restoration.