A devastating oil spill has occurred in Ogoniland, Rivers State, despite the recent establishment of the Federal University of Environmental Technology, Ogoni, by President Bola Tinubu. The spill, which was reported on Monday evening, has been blamed on suspected equipment failure from the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) of Nigeria.
According to SaharaReporters, the leak occurred at the Ogale Manifold and filled underground pits before spreading to the pipeline right of way near Lot-1 of the Ogoni cleanup project under the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP). The volunteers from the Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre’s (YEAC-Nigeria) blamed the spill on equipment failure at the manifold owned by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) of Nigeria.
The incident has drawn attention to the ongoing environmental challenges in the region, despite efforts to address oil pollution through government initiatives. The Advocacy Centre has called for a police investigation to restore peace and urged the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) to carry out a joint investigation visit (JIV) on the spill site.
The establishment of the Federal University of Environmental Technology, Ogoni, was a significant step towards addressing environmental issues in the region. The bill for the university had been sponsored by Senator Barinaadaa Mpigi and passed by the National Assembly before receiving presidential assent. However, the recent oil spill highlights the need for more effective measures to prevent environmental disasters in the region.
