Declare national emergency on oil infrastructure, Senate tells FG

…calls for probe into Rivers oil spill, fire

The Senate on Thursday urged the Federal Government to immediately declare a national emergency programme for the rebuilding, rehabilitation, and recalibration of Nigeria’s national oil infrastructure.

This includes onshore oil wells, flow stations, and pipelines, to renew the Country’s oil industry.

The upper Chamber also directed the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) to investigate the cause of the recent fire outbreak and oil spill from Manifold Well 8/ BUG 008 in OML 18, Bukuma (Agum), Rivers State.

The Agency is expected to submit a detailed report to the Senate within four weeks.

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Additionally, the Senate called on the Ecological Project Management Committee (EPMC) to deploy the Intervention Fund, and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to address the ecological challenges in the affected areas.

These include the loss of livelihoods, health issues, and environmental damage caused by the spill.

The lawmakers specifically urged the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC OML 18 Ltd.) to take swift action in response to the fire outbreak.

They called on the company to fulfill its Corporate Social Responsibility by deploying emergency response teams to assess the disaster’s impacts and implement necessary remediation measures to support the affected Communities.

Furthermore, the Senate mandated its Committees on Environment, Petroleum Resources (Upstream), and other relevant bodies to assess the compliance of operators at Manifold Well 8/ BUG 008 in accordance with the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Act and other relevant laws.

It also recommended possible actions, including shutting down the affected well, initiating immediate clean-up, and carrying out full environmental remediation of the impacted areas.

The Senate’s resolutions followed a motion entitled, “Urgent Need to Mitigate the Recent Fire Outbreak and Oil Spillage from Manifold Well 8/ Bug 008 in OML 18 Bukuma (Agum), Rivers West Senatorial District, Rivers State.”

The motion was sponsored by Ipalibo Harry Banigo (PDP Senator, Rivers West).

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While presenting the motion, Banigo expressed concern over the extensive environmental damage, displacement of residents, destruction of property, and health risks.

She noted that oil spills and fire outbreaks in the Niger Delta are recurring problems caused by weak safety protocols, sabotage, or poor enforcement of environmental regulations.

She emphasised the severe consequences of the disaster, including contamination of rivers, farmlands, and aquatic life, which are critical sources of livelihood for Communities in Buguma Asalga, Ifoko Asalga, and Bukuma (Agum) in Degema.

“The pollutants pose significant health risks, including respiratory and waterborne diseases, as well as long-term effects such as cancer and organ damage, escalating the region’s public health crisis”, Banigo stated.

In her contribution, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, urged the EPMC and other relevant agencies to determine the cost of cleanup, impose charges, and enforce penalties for each oil spill and fire hazard.

She stressed the need for transparency and accountability in the oil industry to ensure environmental protection.

Adding to the discussion, Yahaya Abdullahi (PDP Senator, Kebbi North), a former Permanent Secretary in the Niger Delta Affairs Ministry, attributed recurring environmental disasters in the region to poorly planned oil exploration infrastructure.

While acknowledging sabotage as a contributing factor, he argued that the lack of proper environmental surveys during initial oil field development led to hazardous conditions.

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He said, “At the beginning, Shell and other corporations were allowed to lay pipelines based on their economic convenience without proper environmental surveys to designate appropriate areas for flow stations and pipelines. As a result, we now have a chaotic network of oil wells, spill sites, and pipelines, making the region vulnerable to disasters.

“Nigeria must confront the reality of the destruction caused by offshore oil drilling and transportation. A comprehensive survey is needed to ensure a complete reorientation and reconstruction of the country’s oil infrastructure.”