NIGERIA: Fishermen say their livelihoods are at risk, after a Niger Delta oil spill coats waters and beaches in a film of sludge

Record ID: 235819

  • Title: NIGERIA: Fishermen say their livelihoods are at risk, after a Niger Delta oil spill coats waters and beaches in a film of sludge
  • Date: 21st November 2012
  • Summary: AKWA-IBOM, NIGERIA (NOVEMBER 16, 2012) (REUTERS) OIL WELL HEAD CLEAN UP HOSE AROUND A SPILL POINT MARSHY AREA COVERED IN OIL SLICK VARIOUS OF WORKERS CONDUCTING CLEAN UP VARIOUS OF OIL ON GROUND GRASS DYING BECAUSE OF OIL VARIOUS OF MAN SCOOPING OIL OFF WATER LOCAL CHIEF IN AKWA-IBOM, JOHN ETIM, POURING OIL OUT OF DRUM OIL ON GROUND (SOUNDBITE) (English) LOCAL CHIEF IN AKWA-IBOM, JOHN ETIM, SAYING: "Oil, crude oil that was spilled last week and the current took it into the creeks, this is Akwa-Iboe, the river you are seeing here is Akwa-Iboe River from the Atlantic Ocean to Akwa-Iboe River, so the whole shore was filled up with crude oil so people freely gathered it into....some in drums, some in jerry cans and so formerly, crude oil was very, very scarce to get, you can't get it except somebody who works in Mobil gets it from off-shore but the last spill made it very, very free, people were able to get crude oil from the shore." FISHING BOATS AT THE RIVER BANK MEN SITTING IN BOAT VARIOUS OF MAN OFFLOADING FIREWOOD FISHING BOATS FISHING NETS LYING ON GROUND FISHERMAN, IGBEKELE AYODE, INSPECTING NET RUINED BY OIL (SOUNDBITE) (Pidgin English) FISHERMAN, IGBEKELE AYODE, SAYING: "Because anytime it happens, it deprives us of our business. We cannot go to sea, all these nets are condemned, the water is not good, we cannot enter the water to go fishing. There are so many boats here, we are stuck here, we cannot go fishing because of the oil spill, because of this, we are hungry and we will spend this Christmas and New Year hungry, that is why we want the government to find a solution to it." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE SURROUNDING FISHING BOAT VARIOUS OF PEOPLE FIGHTING OVER FISH (SOUNDBITE) (English) FISHERMAN, OWOYELE ISREAL, SAYING: "Sometimes, when we go fishing, after expenses, you will make like 15,000 to 20,000 naira (96 to 128 dollars) and we use it to take care of our family, but now, for almost two weeks, nothing. We did not get anything; many people did not go fishing, they have resigned to fate that well, this year is a bad year and we do not have power. Mobil, we cannot confront them because they have an army, they have everything so we are afraid. If the government does not help us now, that means through out this year, hunger will deal with us." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE IN VILLAGE WOMAN PREPARING FOOD CHILDREN NEXT TO RIVER
  • Embargoed: 6th December 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Nigeria
  • Country: Nigeria
  • Topics: Disasters,Energy
  • Reuters ID: LVA9VBR0NI6ZA67A2PS3UIZT20IV
  • Story Text: As the clean up continues after an oil spill at an ExxonMobil facility offshore from the Niger Delta, fishermen say they are left on dry land.
    ExxonMobil mobilised a clean up unit along the coast of the Akwa Ibom state and apologised to affected communities for the spill but the situation is far from recovered.
    A Reuters reporter visiting several parts of Akwa Ibom state last week saw a rainbow-tinted oil slick stretching for 20 miles (32 km) from a pipeline that Exxon had shut down because of a leak almost two week ago.
    Nearby marshlands were infested with the oil and grass and plants in the area had started to die back.
    Speaking last week, John Etim, a local chief and fisherman, said many locals scooped the oil into jerry cans.
    "The whole shore was filled up with crude oil so people freely gathered it into....some in drums, some in jerry cans and so formerly, crude oil was very, very scarce to get, you can't get it except somebody who works in Mobil gets it from off-shore but the last spill made it very, very free, people were able to get crude oil from the shore," Etim said.
    The oil leak, reported on November 11 with unknown causes, means the fishing community is unable to make substantial catches, fishermen say, and their nets have been ruined by the pollution.
    This is the second major oil spill near Exxon facilities in three months.
    At the end of August, another spill left a slick running for miles along the coast.
    Fishermen say they have been forced to stay on land.
    "Anytime it happens, it deprives us of our business. We cannot go to sea, all these nets are condemned, the water is not good, we cannot enter the water to go fishing. There are so many boats here, we are stuck here, we cannot go fishing because of the oil spill, because of this, we are hungry and we will spend this Christmas and New Year hungry, that is why we want the government to find a solution to it," fisherman Igbekele Ayode said.
    Oil spills are common in Nigeria, where enforcement of environmental regulations is lax and armed gangs frequently damage pipelines to steal crude.
    Oil majors say thieves are responsible for most of the spills on shore.
    A U.N. report in August last year criticized the government and multinational oil firms for 50 years of oil pollution that has devastated the Ogoniland region.
    At Akwa Ibom villagers say they are now fighting over food as resources turn scarce.
    "Sometimes, when we go fishing, after expenses, you will make like 15,000 to 20,000 naira (96 to 128 dollars) and we use it to take care of our family, but now, for almost two weeks, nothing. We did not get anything; many people did not go fishing, they have resigned to fate that well, this year is a bad year and we do not have power. Mobil, we cannot confront them because they have an army, they have everything so we are afraid. If the government does not help us now, that means through out this year, hunger will deal with us," fisherman Owoyele Isreal, said.
    Despite thousands of barrels a year spilt by oil majors in Nigeria, none has ever been forced to make a financially significant settlement.
    Some communities are now attempting to sue for compensation from Shell in Western courts.
    Some villagers say the latest spill is the worst they have seen since Exxon started its operations in the area.
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