Residents of Oshie and neighbouring Akinima communities in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State have raised the alarm over a prolonged gas leak from an Oando underwater pipeline that has contaminated the Orashi River, their primary source of drinking water, fishing, and domestic use.
For more than one year, the leak has turned the once life-sustaining river into what locals describe as a source of slow poisoning, with visible bubbling gas, a thin hydrocarbon film on the surface, and widespread health and livelihood complaints.
Mrs Ngozi Ididie, a 59-year-old indigene of Oshie community, expressed deep worry as she stood by the riverbank.
“We are really worried. After drinking the water, both children and adults feel sickly. This is our experience. We are resorting to buying sachet water now. Ordinarily, water from the river was blessed water which God gave us. But now we cannot drink it,” she said.
Daily activities continue along the polluted river: children bathe and play in the water, women soak cassava for fufu processing, and fishermen cast nets, despite fears of long-term health damage.
A recent visit to the area revealed disturbing signs: continuous bubbling about 80 metres from the bank, hydrocarbon sheen on the surface, exposed and unburied pipelines, excavated sites suggesting ongoing or recent pipeline work, and sacks of fermenting cassava partially submerged at the waterfront.
The Paramount Ruler of Oshie community, His Royal Highness Patrick Miller, voiced frustration over prolonged neglect.
“The gas leakage in the river has been there for over a year. We informed the Nigerian Agip Oil Company when they were in charge. And now Oando is on board. Nothing has been done. This gas has been bubbling, leaking into our water,” he said.
He highlighted multiple impacts:
– The Orashi River remains the only source of drinking water for the communities.
– Cassava soaked and processed in the river now turns black and unusable, destroying a key food source.
– Fishermen catch far fewer fish, with occasional sightings of dead fish floating on the surface.
– Health complaints include frequent gastroenteritis (vomiting and diarrhoea), skin rashes, and other ailments not previously common.
The monarch appealed for urgent intervention: provision of portable water, medical support, and compensation for medical expenses, lost livelihoods, and the cost of buying alternative water and food.
President of the Engenni Youth Assembly, Onem Okenya, accused Oando of feigning ignorance despite using nearby access roads for other facilities in Okordia and Zarama, Bayelsa State.
He described the situation as a “genocide” and warned of the dangers of hydrocarbon pollution, including benzene, a known carcinogen.
“Our women are drinking from this water, our children are bathing in it, and our men, who are fisherfolk, can no longer catch fish as before because of this pollution,” Okenya said.
Mrs Queen Jacob, a mother of four, said the situation had become unbearable.
“This river is where we bathe and fetch water to drink. We also soak our cassava in the river and catch fish. But due to the current leakage, we cannot catch fish, and when you bathe in the river, it leads to itching of the body,” she lamented.
Environmental advocates from the Environmental Defenders Network (EDEN), led by Deputy Executive Director Alagoa Morris, joined the call for action after visiting the communities.
Morris urged the Rivers State Ministry of Environment, Federal Ministry of Environment, Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), and Oando to act swiftly by providing clean water, healthcare services, and compensation for environmental damage and livelihood losses.
Representatives of Oando could not be reached for comment at the time of this report.
The people of Oshie and Akinima continue to live in fear and hardship, caught between thirst, illness, and economic hardship, as they await meaningful response from relevant authorities and the oil company.
