The Environmental Defenders Network (EDEN) has alerted the National Oil Spill Detection and Remediation Agency (NOSDRA) and Shell about a crude oil spill from a Shell pipeline in Obololi Creek, located in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
This was contained in a press statement signed by the Media and Communications Manager of EDEN, Elvira Jordan and issued to Newsmen on Wednesday.
The spill reportedly occurred on the night of Sunday, February 16, 2025, into the early hours of Monday, February 17, 2025.
The statement disclosed that, this marks the first time an oil spill has directly impacted the community’s river or creek—its sole source of water for drinking and daily activities.
Obololi is home to pipelines owned by Oando and Shell. According to local residents, Shell installed its pipeline in 1973 and has not replaced it since.
The affected community urgently requires access to clean drinking water. EDEN has called on Shell to promptly initiate a Joint Investigation Visit (JIV), followed by cleanup, remediation, and compensation for the impacted residents.
In response to EDEN’s advocacy, Deputy Executive Director Alalgoa Morris will lead a delegation—including the Southern Ijaw Local Government Chairman and the Bayelsa State Commissioner for Environment—on a visit to the spill site on Thursday, February 20, 2025.