An oil leak from an 8-inch crude delivery pipeline within Oil Mining Lease 29 (OML 29) has polluted several communities in the Nembe area of Bayelsa State, southern Nigeria.
The asset, operated by Nembe Exploration and Production Company Limited (formerly Aiteo Eastern Exploration and Production Company Limited), reportedly suffered a rupture on October 1 at Tora in Nembe. The incident released an undetermined volume of crude oil into the Santa Barbara River and surrounding areas.
In a letter to the operator, the legal counsel to the Opu Nembe Kingdom, signed by Mr. Iniruo Wills, Managing Partner of Ntephe Smith and Wills, stated that the spill had severely affected residents who depend on the river for their livelihoods. The letter called for a Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) to determine the cause and extent of the spill.
The company has since confirmed the incident in a letter (Ref: NEPCo/HSE-JIV/2025/04) dated October 5, proposing that the JIV be conducted on October 6.
However, community representatives rejected the proposed date, requesting that the inspection be rescheduled to October 9 to allow for broader local participation and proper coordination.
Source:Africa Publicity
